


Wild Magic

by Chibi_Pix



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Characters are Human, Explicit Language, F/M, Fantasy Violence, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Illustrations, Mages, Magic, Male Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Mild Language, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prince Matt Holt, Princess Allura (Voltron), Princess Pidge | Katie Holt, Shapeshifting, beta my own work, giant wolf, humans with magic, lance has a crush on pidge, pidge disguised as a boy, pidge is a mage, pidge raised as a boy, pidge raised by krolia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 69,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibi_Pix/pseuds/Chibi_Pix
Summary: When King Zarkon of Daibazaal took over the kingdoms of Altea and Gaia ten years ago, the lands were put into turmoil, their magic and peace threatened. During her escape, Princess Katie of Gaia went missing, not even her allies knowing what became of her. Without the princess, Zarkon could not progress further to claim them, but that did not mean he would give in. To locate the missing piece to his plan, his mage, Honerva, uses magic to try and locate her.Ten years later, in Wolf Forest, a mage named Pidge trains, practicing magic and brewing potions. In the nearby village, a young archer named Lance has a crush on the mage. When he gets wind that Zarkon’s soldiers may be lurking near, he grows concerned for Pidge’s safety and sets out to help keep the mage safe.
Relationships: Lance/Pidge | Katie Holt
Comments: 61
Kudos: 65





	1. Escape (+ map)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An all new fic coming from me! Here it is! And a full fantasy, too!  
> The first couple of chapters will act like prologues, then the main story. I hope you guys end up enjoying!

High above the castle in the kingdom of Gaia, there was a magical source, manifested in a crystal-like form that levitated. It was the same in the other two kingdoms of Altea and Daibazaal. The crystalline magic was a key, tying to the kingdoms and their protectors, the appointed king or queen, keeping the land and its people safe. It was the duty of those who ruled to keep the magic safe and pass it on to the next in line so that the lands would be forever safe.

But the tales and history never told what would happen if one ruler were to grow greedy and go for the other magic crystals in the other kingdoms.

Princess Katie sat in the nursery, admiring the dagger her mother left to her before her departure. Not long ago, King Alfor of Altea was struck with tragedy when his wife, Queen Melanor, fell ill. No medicine and no magic had managed to heal her, so Queen Colleen of Gaia left with her husband, Sam, to see what they could do. Colleen had left the dagger to her daughter, reminder her to be strong and to protect others. _A wolf always protects her pack._ It was a common phrase used in the family.

Matt, Katie’s elder brother, sat nearby and on a padded bench, reading a book and looking at the old legends of magic. “Katie! Check this out! Did you know there used to be mages who could shapeshift?”

“Can’t those of Altea use that magic?” Katie inquired, looking confused.

“They use concealing magic, letting themselves look like others or even blend in with their surroundings.” Matt explained. “Which is why Allura cheats at hide and seek.” He shook his head. “But no, this is full on shape shifting. Like mages transforming into cats and birds! Wow!”

“Really?” Katie got up and ran to the bench, climbing onto it. She leaned against her brother and saw the images drawn of a mage transforming herself into a bird, the transformation sketched in stages. “I wonder if others can do that now. You think Mommy can?”

“Maybe, Mom’s really powerful with magic; I think Coran said she’s a mage even though she doesn’t say it herself.” Matt commented. He looked up abruptly when he heard a door slam downstairs and an announcement of someone from the clan of Marmora being there. “Marmora? Why would they be here?” He was worried since when someone from that clan appeared, it did not always mean good news. “C’mon, let’s see what’s happened.” Matt put the book down beside him and stood up. He helped his sister down from the bench and took her hand, walking out and going to the stairwell nearby.

“Do you think it’s about Mommy and Daddy?” Katie inquired.

“I… I don’t know...” Matt shook his head and got closer to the talking, looking around the corner to see Iverson, one of the commanders of their mother’s guard; when they left, Iverson was left in charge of the two heirs, keeping close and protecting them; he had known them well, having looked after them several times and even taught Matt how to use a sword. With him were members of the Marmora clan, a group of knowledge and peace keepers, one of which actually being the leader, Kolivan.

“Are you certain?” Iverson inquired, having received bad news. Kolivan simply nodded. “Do you know how long?”

“Before daybreak if we’re lucky, which is why time is of the essence.” Kolivan informed. “But it could be any time; they need to be protected.”

“And the way to do that is to take them away from here...” Iverson gritted his teeth as his one open eye showed to be glaring at nothing in particular. “Are you able to get them to safety?”

“If we leave as soon as possible, we have a chance.” Kolivan informed.

“Leave? Who’s leaving?” Katie asked, running past Matt and over to the adults. She didn’t fuss when Kolivan picked her up; she knew that he was good, members of the Marmora clan had to be… right? “Are we leaving? What about Mommy and Daddy?”

“Princess,” Iverson spoke up, “trouble has arisen; Kolivan will get you and Prince Matt to safety until it blows over. Your parents will join you when possible.”

“Are you sure?” Matt inquired. “When Marmora shows up… something bad usually happened...” His gaze was both worried and hardened; he was already prepared for the worst news possible.

“We do not have all the answers.” Kolivan stated. He looked to another member who crouched in front of Matt; Matt may have been twelve years old already, but he wouldn’t be as fast as the adults who had trained for many years. “We need to hurry, though.”

Matt wanted answers, he wanted to know what was going on, but he knew better than to argue, especially after he felt Iverson’s hand on his back. “It’ll be fine; I’ll come find you before long.” he assured the young prince. Nodding, Matt climbed onto the other’s back, holding on tight.

“I’ll send one of my clansmen your way with information when they’re safe.” Kolivan informed Iverson as he nudged Katie to his back, biting back the amusement of how well she did climbing over despite being in a dressed.

“May the ancestors guide your path to safety.” Iverson informed.

“May the spirits give you strength.” Kolivan dipped his head before taking off, fleeing the castle with a small group of his clansmen as well as the two heirs. He knew that they had to get ahead of the enemy and keep the children safe. After all, if the enemy caught hold of them…

“Mister Marmora,” Katie squeaked out, “where are we going? Why do we have to leave?”

Kolivan shifted a bit, not quite looking over his shoulder but showing the princess that he heard her. How could he tell her the grim truth? If all went well, there would be trouble, but life was not like that; it was as kind as it was cruel and you never knew what would fully happen until it did. “A possible war and you children need to be kept safe and out of it.”

“War? Why?” Katie asked. “Don’t the three crystals protect us all from bad people from afar?”

Indeed, the crystals and their keepers did keep the three kingdoms and their lands safe. But some threats did not come from far away lands. Some came from their own neighbours and within the crystals’ protection.

“Sometimes a threat is from closer to home.” Kolivan stated in a soft tone.

Matt listened before it clicked. Older, he was able to understand the people were delicate creatures, tempted by the sins of life. “It’s… it’s not one of the others we’re running from, right?” he asked, praying it wasn’t either of the royal families. Kolivan’s silence did not sit well with him. “But then Mom and Dad...”

“Before they departed, they were able to transfer the rite of the crystal’s magic to you… to both of you.” Kolivan responded. “It is our duty to keep you safe for if you’re captured...” He didn’t finish. If they were captured, then their enemy could find a way to use the magic, take control and have more power.

He kept on running until he came to a stone bridge. He slowed down so he and the others could catch their breaths; going slower across the large and open bridge was also best, letting them keep a better eye on their surroundings and making sure they wouldn’t be ambushed.

“I can walk.” Katie commented over Kolivan’s shoulder.

“For now, Princess, it is best that I carry you.” Kolivan instructed. “When we reach a safer point, then I’ll let you walk, okay?”

Katie grumbled a bit, but she didn’t argue. “Fine.” She watched ahead of them, unable to see far in the nighttime darkness. However, while her eyesight at night wasn’t grand, her sense of smell was remarkable. Her mother raised her on different scents and identifying them without needing to see them. “Huh?”

“Princess?”

“I smell something.” Katie focused on the scent. “It smells like Daddy’s boom oil.”

Kolivan blinked. Boom oil? “Wait… an explosive...” He looked around, trained better to see in the dark more than others. “Cast a light spell.”

“Yes, sir.” one of his clansmen responded as she held out her hand, muttered a spell. She caused a glowing bluish orb to form in the palm of her hand, illuminating the area. More than that, it glistened off of slick spots. Explosive oil.

“Oh no...” Kolivan realized they walked right into a trap. Soon a red colour came into sight. Fire. “Get down!” he called, pulling the princess from his back and covering her; two of his clansmen had covered Matt since he was older and bigger. When Kolivan raised his head up, he looked around. They were surrounded by fire and the middle of the bridge had been destroyed. He got up and held the princess close when others walked through the flames as though it were mere fog. “Magic...” he mumbled. He had nothing against magic, but when it was deliberately used to harm others, he found he didn’t like the users.

“Sir, we’re cornered; we can’t make a jump like this.” one of the others informed.

“When you get an opening, get them out of here.” the leader odered, tossing Katie over to one of the others. He then drew his sword. “You’re not getting your hands on them!” he informed.

A man stepped forth in crimson looking armor. Kolivan knew who he was; he was Commander Sendak, one of King Zarkon’s top commanders. “You Marmora clan members are so predictable.” Sendak sneered. “Now, hand them over and I’ll spare your lives.”

Kolivan’s gaze narrowed. He knew better than to trust Sendak, especially with the given circumstances. “I stand by this vow; so long as I live, King Zarkon will never get his hands on both children.”

“Then it looks like you put yourself into an early grave.” Sendak gave no warning before he charged at Kolivan, engaging him in a fight.

Those of the Marmora clan were left guarding the children while looking for their opening. To no surprise, Sendak was far from alone and his soldiers were waiting to snatch the prince and princess. With no way to safely reach the other side of the bridge, the ravine beneath them being a death sentence, and soldiers and fire blocking any other escape route, things were not going well. Crouching and waiting, the clansmen kept the children back, shielding them.

And the one guarding Katie made the mistake of not holding onto her. She had been set down and shielded, kept behind the group.

The young princess watched the flames and the fighting. The situation terrified her and she started to back away, wanting to escape. It wasn’t until her foot kicked some rubble that a Marmora member noticed her moving away from them.

“Princess! Come back he-” The clansmen tried to go for Katie, but he stopped when he felt a sharp pain piercing his side. He fell to his knees and looked to see a dagger sticking out. A glance told him one of Sendak’s soldiers, his right hand man in fact, had thrown it.

Katie let out a terrified squeal when she saw the clansmen collapse to his knees, holding his bleeding side. She went to move toward him, wanting to check on his injury, but that was not going according to plan. In her fear, her legs was shaky. And every noise that echoed around her startled her. It was no surprise that she slipped while standing too close to the edge of the bridge where it had been blown up.

“No!” Sendak hissed. He threw Kolivan to the side and to some soldiers who managed to pin him. Quickly, he sprinted over and slid to his knees, reaching and grabbing the princess before she could fall too far. “Got you.”

Katie looked up with fear filled eyes as the commander held her arm, his nails digging into it. Sendak started to pull her up, but her instincts when on full alert. Had it been Kolivan or one of his men, she wouldn’t have been afraid, but everything in her told her that Sendak was not a good person. She then pulled out the dagger from her mother, having had it hidden on her person since leaving the nursery, and jabbed it into Sendak’s arm.

A fierce little warrior. Like a wolf, she deemed Sendak to be a threat to her pack and used her _fangs_ on him. He snarled in anger and pain, but he didn’t relinquish his hold and brought her up more.

“Little brat!” he snapped.

Katie didn’t stop, though. She dared to strike again, this time plunging her dagger into Sendak’s eye. She may have been a princess and she may have hardly been five years old, but she was fierce and she was prepared to fight and protect others. This prompted Sendak to let go and cover his eye, crying out in pain.

But Katie was still over the ravine and she fell, unable to land on the bridge. The clansman who had been hit with the dagger moments earlier took the next risk, hurling himself over the ledge in hopes to grab hold of the princess and at least shield her.

“Katie!” Matt cried out, eyes wide as he watched where his sister fell. Before he could make a mistake and slip, another clansmen held onto him. “No… no...”

“Fucking brat...” Sendak snarled. He then looked to his soldiers. “Take them all… we need to report to King Zarkon...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Editing to give a map of the lands. It's still a work and progress and things are subject to change as well as places being added or moved slightly. So! For now! Here we go.


	2. A Wolf Protects Its Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt is determined to protect his kingdom.   
> Krolia is determined to protect her children.   
> A wolf should never be underestimated when it protects its pack.

Matt was shoved forward and onto the ground in front of his mother and father’s thrones. Behind him, the Marmora clansmen were forced to kneel, those still remaining battered and bruised. Looking around, some of his parents’ soldiers, Iverson included, were in no better condition, restrained and kept in place; they were lucky compared to the ones Matt saw as he was brought in that had been killed. He then set his gaze forward, seeing King Zarkon of Daibazaal sitting on his mother’s throne.

“I’m sorry, sire,” Sendak knelt before his king, “but we lost the princess. She fell to her death from the bridge.” While no one went down to check, there would have been no possible way for anyone to survive, especially a badly injured man and a five-year-old girl.

“Honerva...” Zarkon simply spoke the name and his wife and mage nodded.

Honerva cast a spell into a sort of crystal, checking it. “Gaia’s magic still holds strong though split between two keepers.” she commented. “The princess still lives. I can create a tracking spell to locate her with ease; it will be ready by dawn.”

“Then get to it.” Zarkon ordered. Honerva nodded again and left the room to prepare the spell.

“Why? Why are you attacking?” Matt commanded, tears pricking in his eyes. “What do you want?”

“What any man would want.” Zarkon stated. “Power. The world around us grows cruel and our countries will one day be devoured by it. The three powers of our kingdoms will be mine and I will take this land and lead it to a new era where we will rise to the top.”

“You spout such pretty words, but covering rotted flesh with flowers does not take away from the fact that it is vile!” Matt informed, raising his voice. “You’re just greedy and want what you can’t… shouldn’t have!” He then narrowed his look into a glare. “And I refuse to give Gaia’s magic to you.” In a more hushed tone, he added, “Katie would would refuse, too.”

“Is that so?” Zarkon motioned for one of his soldiers, the armor-clad figure putting their hand to Iverson’s forehead and forcing his head back; they then followed up with putting a blade to his throat.

Matt wanted to cry out and beg Zarkon to show mercy, but he couldn’t show that side; he couldn’t let the others see him grovel. He had to stay strong. “Kill anymore of my people or the Clan of Marmora members here and I will bite through my tongue!” he snapped. He may have been young, but he was ready to end his life in order to protect his kingdom’s magic. “Then you certainly won’t have the magic from Gaia.”

Zarkon motioned again, getting the soldier to release Iverson. He then stood up and approached the young prince, showing to be much taller than the average man. He drew his blade and gently put it to Matt’s face, tapping his chin with it and forcing him to look up. “You have strength and conviction.” he commented, almost impressed with the preteen. “Willing to sacrifice yourself for your people and the magic.” He smirked. “Very well. We’ll find our own way. But you will remain a prisoner of mine, your soldiers disbanded and kept away.” He pivoted on his heel and returned to the throne. “Escort the little prince to his chambers.”

Matt was forced to his feet and shoved to a door. Before leaving, he looked back. “I suggest getting your commander some help; Katie hit Sendak with our mother’s dagger.” he commented. “And if you know our mother, then you’d know that dagger would have poison in it.” He smirked at that little victory before being ushered out of the throne room.

But more than that, he was relieved to know his sister was alive. She somehow survived that fall. Did the Marmora clansman survive as well? He hoped so and he hoped they escaped.

He hoped they were okay and just not lying in the bottom of the ravine, crippled and in pain.

In the middle of all of his hopes, he was also worried. Honerva would be working on a tracking spell; sooner or later, she would find Katie.

“Please be safe, Katie...” Matt whispered softly as he slowly ascended the stairs to his room, no longer finding it to be a place of safety and comfort, but rather a prison.

A woman named Krolia drew back her arrow, aiming at a deer as it kept watch. A large buck. The antlers would fetch for a fine price, the meat would feed her and her son for days to come, the fur could either be traded or used in her house, he was the perfect prey. She loosened her hold without releasing when she heard a howl. The deer heard as well and they took off.

“Fine.” she mumbled. She straightened her position and stood up before taking off, heading toward the howl. It didn’t take long to find a group of wolves waiting around, one of them even approaching her and headbutting her. “What’s the matter?” she asked. The wolf gently put his jaws around Krolia’s wrist and pulled her along, growling a bit as he did so. He dragged her to the river where two more wolves dragged ashore a man with a tight hold over a small child.

“Oh no!” Krolia ran over and knelt beside them. The man was already dead, but even in death he refused to relinquish his hold. Her eyes grew soft as she recognized him as a Marmora clansman. Then she heard a small cough. “The child...” She pulled the child away from the man’s hold and into her own warm and welcoming arms. She saw her dress and the small crown that managed to stay on her head in all of this. Krolia blinked, processing what she saw, before getting up.

“Hide him; make sure he cannot be tracked!” she ordered the wolves. She then ran off, some of the wolves staying behind but a few following her. She went through the woods until she reached a clearing where a large cabin had been built. There, a small boy, her son, was playing with some wolves.

“Mama? Welcome home, Mama!” the boy, Keith, cheered. He stopped when he saw his mother holding a drenched girl in her arms. “Who’s that?”

“Not right now, Keith; she needs treatment.” Krolia responded, getting the door open and taking the child inside. She laid the child down on the table, thankful it was clear, and went around her cabin, looking for herbs.

“Mama, can I help?” Keith asked.

“Get warm blankets, sweetie; this child is deathly cold.”

Keith nodded and obliged while Krolia quickly blended the herbs she collected and put them in warm water. She supported the small girl’s head and forced her to drink down the concoction, pleased to hear her cough and sputter with vigor; it told her the girl was strong despite her condition.

“Fret not, little one, you’ll feel better soon.” Krolia whispered. She undressed the girl by the time Keith returned and then wrapped her in the blankets.

“Will she be okay?” Keith asked. He was confused when his mother threw the dress into the fireplace, casting magic to burn it. “What are you doing? Won’t she need that?”

Krolia stared at the fire for a moment before returning to the child. “Forgive me for this, for I need you to be protected.” She drew out a knife and cut away the girl’s hair, making it short and choppy. She tied a small bit around the rest before whispering something into it; it was most likely a spell. When done, she handed it over to a wolf. “Take this as far as you can; cover the trail so no one can follow it back to us.” The wolf huffed in confirmation before grabbing the bundle in her jaws. Then she was out the door.

“Mama, what’s going on?” Keith inquired.

“Honey, you need to do me a favour.” Krolia knelt before her son, taking his hands. “This child need to be protected, and to do so, the identity must remain hidden. I will figure out the child’s memory later and explain this as well, but for now, I am telling you what I can.” She offered a smile. “You cannot let anyone know this one is a girl; you must let others believe the child is a boy.”

“But why?”

“Because sh… he must be kept safe; things are growing dire and if he is not safe, peace will be lost.” Krolia caressed Keith’s cheek. “Can you keep this a secret?”

Keith looked to where the young one was resting, her breathing growing stronger. “What are we going to call him?” he asked. “Will he be my little brother?”

Krolia smiled. The best way to protect this treasure was to keep her close. “Of course. Pidge will be your little brother.” Pidge. Yes, that was the perfect name, or at least she thought so. She then stood up and looked to Pidge. _Princess Katie, forgive my actions, but this is for the best. Hopefully you will understand when you wake up._ She thought.

“Pidge?” Keith asked. He smiled a bit. “I’m a big brother now! Yay!”

Krolia smiled and picked Pidge up, taking her upstairs and laying her in bed. Keith followed after, curious and determined to look after the small child as she slept. “Keep an eye on him, I’ve got a few things to do, okay?”

“Yes, Mama.” Keith nodded.

Krolia went back down and picked up the small crown she removed from Pidge. She then looked to the fireplace where the dress finished burning, some metal and a green gemstone from it still in tact. She got those out and headed out back, separating the gems from the metals and dumping the items in a pot of sorts. She melted down the metal before uttering a few spells, forming it into two pendants filled with magic. She put a gem into each and let them cool off.

“Maybe with this, I can help protect you more.” Krolia mumbled.

“Mama, Pidge is awake.” Keith called out of a window.

“Okay, one moment, honey.” Krolia responded. She checked to see that it had been a couple hours since she started working on the pendants. She went inside and put them on chains, putting one on herself. She then went up to where Pidge was sitting up. “Good afternoon, it seems you’re doing better.” she said as she went over. She sat on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel?”

“My head hurts.” Pidge mumbled. “Where am I?” She looked around. “Who am I?”

Krolia nearly froze. She didn’t know who she was. As sad as it was, though, it was good. The less she knew, the safer she was. She was already certain she’d be a target, especially if she was found in a river and nearly dead, held onto by a deceased Marmora clansman, but with this, then she would be nearly impossible to track. Her allies couldn’t find her easily, but neither could her enemy.

“You’re Pidge. And… I’m going to take care of you.” Krolia informed. She reached over and put the necklace on her adopted child. “I’ll explain more over time, but you need to listen closely. You are a girl, but we need others to think you’re a boy, okay? And keep this necklace close; it’ll help keep you safe.”

Pidge looked at the pendant, letting its green gem sparkle in her eye. “Pretty.” she said. “So… you’re… Mommy? Mama?”

“You can call me either one; Keith here calls me _mama_.” Krolia informed. “And he’ll be your big brother.” She pulled over both children, hugging them close. “We’re a family here. A pack. And like a mother wolf, I will be keeping my pups safe.”

Pidge blinked. Something about a wolf and keeping others safe seemed so familiar. She couldn’t explain why, but she didn’t feel the need to. All she knew was that Krolia would protect her and be there for her.

“Speaking of wolves,” Keith spoke up, “there are lots of wolves in this forest. But that’s fine, they like the family. They’ll like you, too!”

“Wolves?” Pidge asked.

“If you feel well enough, we can go down and see them, let them meet you.” Krolia chuckled. Pidge nodded before holding her head, realizing that it still hurt. “Take it easy, and we’ll go see them.” She got up and smiled when her youngest child climbed down from the bed, going over to the stairs. Keith, quick to take the role of the big brother, held her hand and walked down with her. Watching for a moment, Krolia could only hope this would go well.

_Princess Katie should be safe here for now. Especially as Pidge._ She thought to herself before following the children, seeing that Keith was already introducing Pidge to the wolves that were near and even in the cabin. As anticipated, the wild animals took a shine to the small child, sniffing her over, checking in her mouth, and even licking her. _If hiding her name and passing her for a boy doesn’t protect her, then the wolves surely will._


	3. Ten Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years have passed. In the kingdom of Altea, Princess Allura plans her escape and quest. In the Wolf Forest, a young man named Lance runs and errand to the family that lives in the forest, hoping to see his crush.

Allura was the princess and heir of the kingdom of Altea. Like Prince Matt of the kingdom of Gaia, she became a prisoner in her own kingdom, her own castle ten years ago. On that fateful night, she lost her mother and had no idea what happened to her father. She didn’t even know what became of Colleen and Sam, her friend’s parents who tried to aid her mother. On that fateful day, Princess Katie of the kingdom of Gaia went missing.

Ten years later, Allura planned on getting out and searching for the princess. But first she had to escape her home that had been made into her prison.

“Are you sure of this, Romelle?” the princess asked, looking to her cousin who was binding her hair to match Allura’s style. They did not look alike, but they planned on passing Romelle off for the princess using cloaking magic. “If anything happens...”

“If it means you can escape here and find Princess Katie, then I will gladly do this.” Romelle took Allura’s hands into her own, holding them close. “Bandor is doing his part in putting an end to Zarkon’s tyranny. I wish to do mine. And if it means acting as your double, then I will gladly do it.”

“Thank you, Ro, I will never forget this.” Allura kissed her cousin’s cheek before stepping back. She then reached up and cut her own hair, the white locks no longer flowing down her back; they didn’t even touch her shoulders after she cut them away. She held out the bundle of hair that had been removed. She uttered an old spell she had studied from her father’s books. The hair floated out of her hand and twisted itself, creating a thin rope that soon bound itself around Romelle’s wrist. The moment the two ends connected and the hair was secure, a magic veil covered the blonde, making her look exactly like the princess.

“So long as that remains on or Honerva does not see through the spell, then no one should know.” Allura commented. “Hopefully. It should at least help in keeping them from finding me through magic.”

“As long as it buys you enough time to escape. Now you need to get going.” Romelle urged. “Coran will be waiting for you with aid in the village of Arus.”

“Again, my thanks. I will be sure to find Katie and put an end to this nightmare… hopefully Lotor will be able to find a spell to take the magic connection from Zarkon...”

“He’s a clever man, Allura, and Bandor is aiding him; they will succeed.” Romelle gave her cousin a hug. “Be strong, Allura. You will be in my prayers. And I shall pray that you can find the princess.”

“I pray for that as well.” Allura responded, tightening her hold, giving a gentle squeeze to show she was returning the hug. She then backed away and smiled fondly before going to the window and fleeing through there, using the cover of the night as well as magic to help her get past the guards and escape.

It pained the princess to have her cousin step in as a double, but she had to do something to find Katie. In ten years, things have only gotten worse, but thankfully not the worst they could be. Zarkon’s forces could not find the young princess; Allura could only hope she would do better at it.

Once Allura managed to escape the castle’s grounds and even its city that surrounded it, she headed for the south where Arus was. It was a simple village, mainly known for its markets and a good place to get side jobs, especially for rangers and bounty hunters. She was thankful for the rain that begun to fall for no one would question seeing her with a hood up on her cloak.

Allura found a tavern, certain that Coran, an old friend of her father’s, would be there. When she entered, she scanned the area, pleased to know she would not stick out for many had hoods up; she was sure they were bounty hunters or people just getting by in their rained upon journeys. She looked to see a figure watching her with a steely gaze, a shock of white in his hair peeking out from under his hood; she hoped he was not one of Zarkon’s men and that he noticed who she was.

Allura then noticed a ginger haired man working at the counter in the tavern, cleaning mugs and pouring various drinks. Coran. He was just as she remembered, though he seemed to have cut his hair; she recalled it once being in a ponytail, though thankfully his mustache remained; she could never imagine him without it.

“Coran, Coran, the gorgeous man.” she hummed as she approached the bar.

Coran looked up in surprise before his eyes turned soft. “Hello, my dear, glad you’ve made it.” he greeted, refraining from using her name. “I got the letter and I prepared for the journey.”

“Good to hear.” Allura nodded. She looked when Coran handed her a mug with a creamy looking mixture in it.

“Just some warm milk and honey; bound to stave off the chill from this rain.” Coran assured.

“Thank you, Coran.” Allura nodded. “I see you’ve been managing all these years.”

“Indeed, and saving for the day we depart.”

“Coran, do you know who that is?” Allura sipped on the milk and looked back over at the man who had been watching her. “He’s been staring since I entered...”

“Don’t fret, my dear, he’s actually here to help.” Coran assured. He then motioned for the other to approach. “This is Takashi Shirogane of the kingdom of Gaia.” He spoke softly so others did not hear. “He is here on behalf of Prince Matt.”

“Just _Shiro_ is fine.” he spoke just as softly. “I apologize if I made you at all uncomfortable.”

“At least you’re on our side.” Allura nodded.

“Anyway, we’ll rest tonight and then set out at first light; hopefully the rain will have lifted by then.” Coran declared.

“Thank you, Coran. And thank you for aiding us in this quest.”

“Always happy to help, my dear.”

“To be honest, though,” Allura sighed, “I don’t even know where to begin with this.”

“There are rumours of a powerful mage in the south, in the Wolf Forest.” Shiro commented. “Perhaps talking to the mage there would be a start. Rumour has it that he may even be more powerful than Honerva.”

“Then to the south we will go.” Allura whispered. “To Wolf Forest.”

“Lance, will you run a couple of errands for me?” Lance’s mother called from the window, looking to her youngest son doing target practice, teaching his nephew and niece how to use a bow.

“Sure, what do we need, Mama?” he asked. He saw his mother hold up a basket; this meant he was delivering something. Seeing it, he perked up. “Krolia and her kids, right?” he asked. He shot Nadia and Sylvio, his oldest brother’s children, a glare when they giggled.

“Indeed. And the potions from Pidge were ready yesterday, so they’ll be ready for pick up today.” his mother responded.

“I bet Uncle Lance hopes to see Pidge today.” Sylvio whispered to his sister, making her giggle more.

Lance scowled, but they weren’t wrong. Sometimes Pidge was there with Keith or Krolia, sometimes he wasn’t. It wasn’t the most common, especially in a small village right outside Wolf Forest, but he had a crush on the boy. Pidge wasn’t that social, usually keeping to himself and collecting ingredients for potions, but in the times Lance could talk with him and be around, he found himself liking him more and more. Intelligent. A hidden sense of humour. A love for adventure. And when Pidge would talk about magic, all Lance could do was listen, admiring the passion the younger boy held for such a topic.

“Uncle Lance, can we go with you?” Nadia inquired, looking excited. “The wolves don’t mind when we travel with you. Pretty please?”

“Yeah! I wanna go, too!” Sylvio chimed in.

“You may as well, Lance; Marco and Lisa are busy and you know they’ll whine about it all day.”

Lance sighed. “Fine, fine, but don’t go bothering Pidge too much and don’t upset the wolves.” Lance reminded. He put his bow on his back and nodded. “We’ll be back soon, Mama.” he called as he walked off, heading for Wolf Forest.

The forest was aptly named due to the fact that wolves called it home, the creatures calling it home for many generations before humans settled near it. For the most part, the people who lived near it had nothing to fear of the creatures; so long as they respected those who came before, they were safe. It kept them safe for generations, outsiders not daring to cause problems for the wolves were very territorial and even protective.

In the forest clearing, Keith and Pidge lived with their mother, Krolia. Keith was shaping up to be a skilled hunter and provided for the family; Pidge learned magic, becoming a talented mage at a young age. Krolia taught both magic; Keith could perform fire magic with ease, but that seemed to be the extent. Pidge, though, learned far more than Krolia could teach him. And with that, he learned more and more, even setting up shop in their home and trading and selling potions.

The family was especially close with the wolves, always seeming to talk to them. According to Krolia, they couldn’t understand them like humans understood each other, but they could tell plenty about what the wolves seem to say by their tones and movements. But what was truly amazing was one wolf in the forest that the family, or at least Krolia and Keith as far as Lance could tell, was close with was what people knew as the _guardian of the forest_ , or simply the _guardian wolf_.

This wolf was massive, far bigger than any wolf Lance had seen in the forest. He was known for his nut-brown fur and his left front leg being a creamier shade of brown. Not that he would know, but he figured this wolf was even big enough to be ridden on. But as big as he was, he was fairly gentle, especially to the locals. There had been one case of a soldier from Zarkon’s army sniffing around the area, up to something, but he was found near a field outside the forest one day. Or at least parts of him was.

The guardian wolf did not take to having people potentially threaten his forest and town well. Due to his protectiveness, he rightfully earned the nickname of _guardian_ , the others seeing him as such. Aside from his protectiveness and simply lounging about with Keith or Krolia, the wolf didn’t seem the most sociable. He didn’t sniff around others much or linger close to towns, but he at least wasn’t hostile towards others unless they were threats.

“I wonder if we’ll see Pidge today. Or maybe the wolf.” Sylvio commented. “What do you think, Uncle Lance?”

Lance thought about it. Now that he thought of it, he wondered why he had never seen Pidge with the guardian wolf. Then again, he didn’t see the young mage too often, either; Pidge was often out collecting ingredients for his potions. “Who knows.” he commented.

“You hope for Pidge, don’t you?” Nadia giggled. “Does he know you like him?”

“No and you two better not go and blab.” Lance scowled at the two. “Pidge is… well, he’s probably not even interested in anything except magic. But that’s fine.” He smiled softly, thinking of Pidge. Though not exactly a social butterfly, he was perfect in his own unique and possibly quirky way. “Even if he’s not interested, I’m content in at least being friends.” He then stopped when he heard a rustling. “Hmm?”

“Uncle Lance?” Nadia asked. She squeaked when Lance nudged her with the basket he was carrying.

“Go hide by that tree.” Lance whispered as he handed Sylvio the basket. “Both of you.” He reached for his bow, removing it from his back. The forest was teeming with life, but oddly enough, it seemed quiet. Was something or someone lurking that shouldn’t? He reached for his quiver, ready to grab an arrow.

Then it burst from the trees and shrubbery. Massive. Brown. Covered in fur.

And chewing on a large stick after it tackled Lance, laying on top of him.

“Oh, it’s the guardian wolf!” Nadia cheered.

“Was he… just playing fetch?” Sylvio asked, looking confused.

“Maybe?” Nadia shrugged and went over to where the wolf was. “Uncle Lance?” she asked, crouching nearby and seeing his arm sticking out from under the mass of muscle and fur. “You okay?” The hand turned a bit, fingers pulling in and thumb going up. Yup. Lance was fine.


	4. Guardian Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble lurks beyond the forest and those of Wolf Forest prepare for it.

“Since when did wolves play fetch?” Lance inquired, checking over his bow, making sure it was fine.

“He’s a pup still and pups like to play. Chasing a stick and chewing on it is nothing new to wolves.” Keith responded, sitting down with the guardian wolf as well as a smaller wolf with odd blue fur; that one was called Kosmo and he was often seen with Keith.

“A pup? Him?” Lance motioned to the larger wolf. “He’s massive! And he’s been around for what? Six years? That’s not a pup, that’s an adult.”

“According to Mom, guardian wolves are different and age and mature differently.” Keith smirked a bit. “He’ll get bigger as he gets older.”

Lance stared for a moment. “Yeah, I don’t want to be tackled by him when he’s bigger… so watch where you throw sticks.”

“Watch where you walk in the forest.”

Lance glared a bit. He then held out the basket that Sylvio handed back to him. “Anyway, I came to deliver food for you guys and pick up potions from Pidge.”

Keith sighed and got up. “Pidge is out, but I know which ones he left to you.” he said as he walked off. “C’mon, they’re at the cabin.” He led the way to the clearing where other wolves were lounging about, taking in the sun and enjoying themselves. Outside, his mother was setting up arrows, getting a stockpile of them made.

“Ah, Lance, Sylvio, and Nadia. No doubt here for Pidge’s potions?” Krolia inquired, putting another finished arrow in the bucket.

“Yeah.” Lance nodded. He handed Sylvio the basket again and went over to where Krolia was working, even picking up one of the arrows. “Wow! These are cool! Your arrows always are amazing works.”

“Careful, it’s laced in a poison.” Krolia responded. “Sure, I have the antidote to it, but even with that, it’s a painful thing.”

“Noted.” Lance put the arrow back. “But… why poisoned arrows?”

Krolia motioned for Keith to take the younger two inside and get the potions. Despite Sylvio’s protests, they went inside. “Zarkon’s forces are coming nearer and they’re not just scouts.” she told Lance. “There’s a chance they may try to take over the forest and village.”

“But won’t the guardian wolf protect it?” Lance asked, looking over to the guardian who went to the edge of the clearing, sniffing around. “He always does.”

“Against a few who show up now and then, yes.” Krolia nodded. “But this is different. There are more. That and there’s a rumour going around.”

“Rumour?”

“That the princess of the kingdom Altea escaped some nights ago. And that she could be heading here.” Krolia responded. “Can’t imagine why. And they’re just rumours, but I’m being cautious; the last thing we need is Zarkon’s men taking over this area.”

“Shouldn’t the others be warned?” Lance asked. “They could help out, too.”

“No offense, but there isn’t much they can do against Zarkon’s soldiers.” Krolia commented. “Most are farmers and traders. Very few know battle or how to fight. And I’ve already spoken to those few to be vigilant.”

“Then I can help.”

Krolia chuckled. “Lance, my dear, you may wish to be a knight and you may train hard and have the best aim I’ve see in anyone, but you’re no soldier. One day… though hopefully that day will never come and peace can return soon.”

Lance sighed. “If I can protect the village and everyone in it, then I want to.” he stated. “What about Pidge?”

“He’s been working on potions, that’s where my poison is from.” Krolia informed. “But as strong as he is, I don’t want him out there fighting. He’s still a child.” She then gave Lance a steady gaze, not quite a glare but just as steely. “And don’t go getting funny ideas about getting a potion for your arrows. If things get bad, I don’t want to see you out there fighting.”

Lance sighed. “Yes, ma’am.” He nodded. When Krolia gave that firm tone, he knew not to argue with her. He then watched as the guardian wolf walk off into the woods. “I guess he’s gonna check over the forest.”

“Probably.” Krolia commented. She looked back when Keith stepped back out with the kids, the food from the basket replaced with jars of potions. “Got them settled?”

“As well as the potions for them to deliver to the blacksmith.” Keith responded.

“Do we look like your personal delivery service?” Lance asked.

“Pidge requested it.” Krolia stated.

“Well, it’s on the way home.” Lance quickly said, accepting the basket. “Anyway, I guess we’re going, huh?”

“I’ll let Pidge know you came by and picked up the potions.” Krolia told Lance.

Lance nodded. He bid the two a farewell before leaving with his niece and nephew. As they walked, Sylvio pestered him to know what Krolia wanted to talk about, but Lance said it was nothing important. However, it was important and it lingered in the young man’s mind. With the possibilities of Zarkon’s men drawing nearer, he worried. What would that mean for the small forest town who mainly worked as farmers or traders? Sure, it wasn’t like Zarkon raided towns, but they were still part of the Gaia kingdom with their location; if there were any sympathizers with the royal family, that usually spelled danger.

Lance did his best to push the thoughts aside when he ushered the children on home with the potions for his mother, their grandmother. He then, with the potions for the blacksmith, turned to the forge and shop. Though a small town shop, they forged tools for farmers and even weapons to deliver to some of the fortresses. If Zarkon’s men found out they supplied others, they would either be punished or forced to supply his men. He worried about those who worked there, especially his best friend, Hunk.

Lance stepped in and listened to the loud clang of Hunks hammer smashing into hot metal, shaping it to his will. He watched in awe, seeing the other work. Hunk was strong, stronger than the average man, and he utilized that strength as the blacksmith’s apprentice. But as strong as he was, he was very gentle and good with children. He also had a knack for finding herbs and cooking. He was a man of many skills.

“Hey Hunk, can you take a break?” Lance inquired.

“Hmm? Yeah, one sec.” Hunk put the hot blade into the water to cool it off before pulling it out, looking it over. “Perfect.”

Lance went over and let out an impressed whistle. “Oooh, nice.” He smiled when his friend held it out to him. Setting the jars down, he accepted the blade, moving it in different directions. “It feels light; won’t it break easily?”

“Not with the enchantments and potions mixed into the process when making them.” Hunk commented. “And it looks like you brought more of Pidge’s potions to us.”

“Yeah.” Lance nodded. He then looked to see different weapons, halberds, battle axes, and swords alike, all on shelves and ready for departure. “Here too...” He handed the new blade back to Hunk, letting his friend put it away.

“So you’ve seen Miss Krolia, huh?” Hunk questioned as he put the blade where it belonged until he would return to shine it with a potion. “Yeah, Master’s been keeping us busy… it’s like they expect a fight. But with Zarkon out there, a fight could happen any day.”

“I always thought we were safe, way out here near the Wolf Forest, but...” Lance mumbled, worried that their safety could be compromised. “I wish there was something I could do. If I was a knight...”

“Who is there to knight you?” Hunk asked. “Besides, you don’t need to be a knight to do good. Just keep your family safe, okay?”

Lance nodded. “Yeah.” he agreed. “So where is your master?”

“He already took off, taking a shipment to the eastern fortress. Left me here to make more weapons. And now with those potions, I can continue.” Hunk declared. “So, did you see Pidge?”

“No, but I did get tackled by the guardian chasing a stick.” Lance commented. He smiled when Hunk started laughing. “I hope Pidge will be fine. Magic is important to have around and if Zarkon finds out that he’s a skilled mage...”

“C’mon, this is Pidge we’re talking about. He can handle himself. And if not, well, you’ve met his mom.” Hunk reminded.

“True.” Lance nodded.

“Busy? I can take more of a break and cook for us.” Hunk offered.

“You know what? I think I’ll choose your cooking over archery practice.” Lance grinned, loving that idea.

“Practice in the yard, I can even give you some new arrows to test out.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Joints popped and contorted as they twisted and shrank down, shifting to different positions. Thick brown fur fell away, revealing speckled flesh. The figure grumbled softly before being left on the ground, sitting on her knees in the middle of the forest, the old fur sitting around her in piles before the wind took it away. She put her arms around herself and shivered a bit, missing the warm feeling of fur. Pidge then accepted the shirt a wolf handed to her, carefully removing it from the other’s jaws.

“I never understood why stories say transformation is painful.” she stated as she first pulled on the long sleeved shirt over her head and put her arms through; it fell into place, coming down past her pelvis. “I find it rather comforting.” She accepted her trousers, pulling them up and over the bottom of her shirt. “The only time it hurts is when I change to one form or the other too quickly.” She then put on her vest, closing it with the aid of her belt.

The wolf grumbled at her as he picked up a boot, handing it over. He then moved to headbutt Pidge, rubbing against her face some.

“Okay, okay.” Pidge chuckled a bit, returning the affection. “I sure surprised Lance on accident, huh? He wasn’t hurt, though.” She finished getting her boots on before getting up, grabbing her heavy, green cloak and the over-sized matching hat she often wore. “C’mon, we should head back home.” she told the wolf before walking off, the animal following alongside her; next to Pidge's petite form, the wolf looked fairly large.

As Pidge walked alongside the wolf, she stopped now and then, gathering ingredients for potions when she would find them. By the time she got back, she had a pile of ingredients from the forest to lay out and package until they were needed for potions.

“Ah, you did get ingredients.” Keith pointed out. “No hunting?”

“C’mon, you’ve got perfectly good skills.” Pidge responded.

“And you’re the wolf.” Keith shoved Pidge some, smirking playfully when Pidge returned the action. “No matter, we’ve got plenty.”

“And I’ll hunt in the morning.” Krolia told her children.

“Unless I find something while out tonight; I’m going out for moon spores since the moon is full.” Pidge pointed out.

“So it is.” Krolia nodded. “Very well, though don’t burden yourself.”

“I’ll be fine.” Pidge discarded her hat and cloak before going to her station, getting ready to work on new potions and bottle ones that were ready. “Mom, do you really think trouble will reach our forest?”

“It’s possible, what with Zarkon taking over the lands these past years and then the rumours arising.” Krolia responded. “If anything does happen, I want you two to flee.”

“Flee? But Mom, we can fight alongside you.” Keith interjected. “We won’t leave you behind.”

“We’re not going to argue about this, Keith.” Krolia’s tone was firm. “We’ll go over this more when the time comes. If… if it comes.” She shook her head. “Anyway,” she went to where Pidge was working, getting what she needed for some of her weapons, “I’m just trying to be cautious and make sure you two are safe. We may not even be met with trouble.” She honestly hoped they wouldn’t, but she was still worried. If Zarkon’s men were closing in on their forest, Pidge could potentially be in trouble. She looked at Keith, seeing the necklace she once wore now on him. A year ago, she passed it to him, wanting him to keep it close so he could protect Pidge. Until then, she had worn it, never taking it off.

“Hey, Mom,” Pidge spoke up, pulling Krolia from her thoughts and worries, “have you seen my bitter thistle sap?”

“I think I moved it to the shelf.” Krolia responded, going over and taking it off an upper shelf. “The pups were playing in here earlier and I didn’t want it getting on their fur.”

“Fair enough.” Pidge accepted the jar and poured some of its contents into a bowl she was working with for the next potion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The picture of Keith with the wolves may not be fully accurate to the scene, but I still had it and it showed what they looked like well. So, it was added.


	5. Full Moon Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Separated from the others, Allura stumbles upon Pidge in the forest, the young child collecting some ingredients for potions. In town, Lance and Hunk prepare to visit the family in the forest to deliver supplies. But something lurks in the forest.

Allura slid down a slope. She bit back a few profanities. She somehow got separated from Shiro and Coran and found herself running through the forest alone. It was dark and the light of the full moon barely penetrated the canopy created by the trees. Worse yet, a group of Zarkon’s soldiers were trailing her, ready to grab hold of the fleeing princess and drag her back.

“These guys never give up, do they?” Allura dared to look back, whether that was her mistake or not, either way she ended up tripping over a tree root and stumbled down another slope. She grumbled in discomfort as she tried to get back up. Looking around, she noticed it was well lit in the area, the spot being a clearing with the full moon shining above.

“Caught you now, Princess.” one of the soldiers pointed out as they surrounded Allura, ready to grab her.

“Excuse me.” A voice caught their attention as everyone, Allura included, looked to see Pidge. “Would you kindly not tread like a horde of three legged bears through here? You’re disturbing the moon spores I’m trying to collect.”

“Piss off brat, run away to mommy.” one of the soldiers snapped. “This is no place for little boys.”

Pidge scowled. “I’d rather not ask again; this is the last night until next year for me to collect these spores and I’d rather not wait.”

“Did you hear me, kid? Piss. Off.” The soldier went toward Pidge and grabbed her by the front of her cloak. “This is no place fo-” He stopped when he found a set of jaws around his arm. A glance told him that he was bitten by a wolf. It didn’t take long for the soldier to be yanked away from Pidge. The other soldiers saw this and were ready to strike.

Pidge, though, knocked them back with a blast of green coloured magic. She got them pushed away from the clearing. “I tried to ask nicely, but you guys are testing me. So, get the hell out of the clearing so I can work! Actually, why don’t you leave my forest, huh?!”

“You’re dead, kid!” Another soldier readied himself to fight, but he stopped when he noticed glowing eyes in the forest and surrounding the clearing. “What the hell?”

“We should get out of here...”

“But the Princess...”

“Screw that; she’s not worth getting killed in this place; if his majesty wants her, he can come here himself!”

The soldiers backed away before fleeing, even the one who had been bitten. As though to tell them to stay out, Pidge threw another shot of magic at one of them, making him yelp before he could fully get away. With a snort, she went to the wolf that bit one of them, checking their jaws to make sure they were fine.

“Okay, you go on home, I can handle the rest from here.” Pidge assured. The wolf grumbled at her. “C’mon, I still have spores to collect and this lady doesn’t seem like she’ll be a threat for the time being. Go on, it’ll be fine.” With a reluctant whine, the wolf left, as did the others, the sources of the glowing eyes disappearing.

“Thank you for aiding me; you have my gratitude.” Allura said as she started to get up.

“Don’t move.” Pidge ordered, her tone fairly cold. The princess was startled and froze. “I need to collect these spores; they only grow during certain times of the year and on full moon nights.” Her tone softened as she went over to where the princess was, collecting spores that were around her.

“Oh! I didn’t even notice these!” Allura exclaimed. She smiled and relaxed before collecting some. “I used to help my father and a good friend collect these for spells and potions. But… that was a long time ago.” She handed them over to Pidge.

“You pick them well; most people aren’t as careful and damage them.” Pidge commented. She then looked at Allura more closely, noticing her hair. “Oh, your hair is like the moon.”

“Hmm? Oh, yes.” Allura chuckled.

“Anyway,” Pidge finished collecting the spores she needed, “if you’re looking for town, I can lead you; the forest is tricky to navigate when it’s nighttime, even on a full moon.”

Allura was ready to say she would be fine, but she nodded in the end. “I would appreciate your aid yet again.” Pidge simply nodded and started to lead her away from the clearing. “Might I have the name of my rescuer?”

Pidge looked back before turning her attention ahead. “Pidge. And you?”

Allura was silent for a moment. It was only fair to give her name, right? It would only be a matter of time until someone found out just who she was. “Allura.” she simply responded, not giving her title as a princess. “You’re a mage, right? You used magic on those soldiers.”

“I know magic.”

Not much of an answer; Allura could see, plain as day, that the kid used magic. “Well, perhaps you know of any mages in the area? We’re hoping to find a mage who could aid our quest.” She sighed. “But I need to find my friends first...”

Pidge glanced back. Friends? So she wasn’t traveling alone. Shrugging, Pidge continued to lead the way. At least until she came across Krolia, her mother holding a lantern as she walked through the forest.

“The wolves were worried, so I came looking for you.” Krolia informed. She lifted her lantern to see Allura more. “I see you’ve found someone out here.”

When Pidge didn’t respond, Allura stepped up. “Yes, er… I’m Allura. And this young man helped me when Zarkon’s soldiers nearly had me.”

“Allura… as in the princess of Altea?” Krolia asked. She gave a slight bow. “It’s an iffy night. You’re welcome to our home; don’t worry, we’re thoroughly against Zarkon.”

Allura smiled softly. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

Krolia nodded. She then got the two to follow her back to the clearing they lived in, giving Allura a place to safely rest her head.

“I’m headed to see Miss Krolia.” Hunk told Lance the following morning.

“Pidge?” Lance perked up.

“Heh, if he’s there, yeah.” Hunk chuckled. He held up a basket. “If you’ll carry this, I can carry the weapons that Miss Krolia requested.”

“Ooh, treats?” Lance looked under the towel some, only to have his hand smacked.

“Yes, and for Pidge; they’re his favourite pastries.” Hunk chuckled.

“Well, I will gladly carry this, my dear friend.” Lance gave a cheesy bow before accepting the basket. He waited until Hunk was ready with a bundle of weapons before setting out for the house in the forest. “I hope Pidge is there today.”

“Hopefully he is; he’ll be happy to have those pastries.” Hunk hummed. “I finally got time to make them; I owe him from one of the potions he fixed for me.”

“He is good with potions, huh?” Lance asked. “I bet he’s one of the best in the kingdom of Gaia. Well, except maybe Queen Colleen…” He looked down. “I wish we knew what happened to her… but I remember hearing stories of how amazing of a mage she was, casting spells and brewing potions. But that also makes me worry more about Pidge… wondering if he’d be in danger, too. He’s such a skilled mage...”

“Pidge will be fine; he’s skilled and he’s got his mom on his side.” Hunk reminded. “We had this conversation last night.”

“I know, but… I always worry about him.” Lance admitted. He and Hunk went through the forest, heading for the clearing where Pidge lived. On the way, though, they stopped at a rustling noise they heard. “Hold up.” Lance whispered as he set the basket down. He carefully removed his bow and grabbed an arrow, glad he always had those items on hand, especially now after talking with Krolia the day prior. He drew his arrow, ready to loose. “Where are you?” He watched carefully, keeping an eye on things. There was rustling again. “Found you.”

Lance loosed the arrow, letting it soar and go past the trees and into shrubs. He heard a sound of discomfort and a call of a name. Shiro. Cautious, Lance readied another arrow and went closer. He came through the shrubs to see a man with black and white hair holding his shoulder and a ginger haired man checking on him.

“Not soldiers...” Lance let out a breath.

“And you still shot him? Lance!” Hunk whined. He put the weapons down. “Oh man, are you okay? That’s gotta hurt...”

“I’ve been hit worse but… damn, that does not feel good.” Shiro grunted.

“It’s a nasty wound, but a good shot.” Coran was rather impressed, especially if it was intentional.

“Yeah, be happy Lance is a good shot, otherwise it’d have been worse.” Hunk mumbled. “It’s bad… Pidge may have a potion for it...”

“Hopefully he or Krolia don’t chew me out for this...” Lance commented. “If you’d let us get you some help, we know someone who may be able to treat the injury…”

Coran and Shiro exchanged looks before the ginger nodded. “We would appreciate it; the sooner that’s done, the sooner we can find our friend.”

“Yeah… and the sooner I get this arrow out… what’d you do? Think I was a deer?” Shiro asked.

“If that were the case, then you’d certainly be dead.” Lance chuckled nervously. He helped get Shiro to his feet before letting Hunk lead the way to the clearing. Outside, Pidge was fixing something in an open fire, though it didn’t smell like breakfast. The pungent scent was that of a potion.

“Ugh, what’s that stench?” Shiro asked, covering his nose.

“Judging by it, it’s an old potion meant for protection.” Coran explained. “It keeps dark magic from entering a home.”

Pidge looked up when she heard Coran. “You know your potions well.” she stated. She then went over and looked at Shiro, checking the arrow in his soldier. “Looks like you’ve seen Lance’s handiwork firsthand.”

Before Shiro could respond, Allura stepped out. “Shiro? Coran!” She ran over and hugged Coran. “Shiro, what happened?”

“He shot me.” Shiro motioned to Lance.

“I thought you were an enemy!” Lance whined.

“Then you’re careless; your enemy should be killed.”

“I don’t just kill willy nilly and an injured enemy could be detained and questioned!”

Keith stepped out with Krolia. “It’s too early in the morning for this.” the young man commented.

“Allura,” Krolia spoke up, “do you know these two?” She went over and checked on Shiro’s shoulder, seeing that the arrow went through, sticking out on the other side. “Oh, that’s gonna scar, even with a potion.”

“They’re my friends and who I’m working with.” Allura stated.

“Right.” Krolia nodded. “Pidge, you go ahead and work on that potion; I can treat this man.”

“Okay.” Pidge nodded and returned to her potion, getting it brewed up. She watched the others go inside, but Lance stayed outside with her. “You can go in, too.”

“I’m… I’m content outside.” Lance said. He then held up the basket. “Hunk made pastries for you.”

Pidge perked up. What so few knew about her was that she had a sweet tooth. More than that, though, her favourite treats came from Hunk. He may have been skilled as blacksmith, but his skills in cooking and baking were far superior compared to his already amazing and superb ability with metalworks. She gratefully accepted the basket and removed the towel, smiling at the fresh treats. She offered one to Lance; no horrible scent could deter him from one of Hunk’s baked goods.

“So… protective potions, huh?” Lance asked, biting into the pastry. “How’s it work?”

“Once it’s done, it forms into a sort of paste. You put that at the frames of doors and windows and black magic, mainly creatures created from it, can’t enter homes and other buildings.” Pidge explained before shoving a pastry completely into her mouth. As tiny as she was, she managed to shovel away a lot of food; the way her cheeks puffed out, Lance thought she looked like a chipmunk. Once she gulped the pastry down, she continued. “The stronger the dark magic, though, depending on the potion and how well its made, the harder it is to keep them out. But this is some pretty strong stuff thanks to finally getting moon spores.”

“Amazing.” Lance commented, smiling softly. He truly enjoyed listening to Pidge talk about the potion and it was an interesting thing to learn. “But who would use dark magic? Didn’t the royal counsel decree that it was unethical and dangerous? Okay, that was before Zarkon started taking over but… But does anyone know how to use it?”

“Mama says there are some that serve Zarkon that know… so I learned counter spells.” Pidge informed. She checked her potion before removing it from the fire and stirring the pot it was in. She added some ground up leaves and let it set. “Now it just needs to cool and solidify into the paste, then I can bottle it up.” She then sat down with the basket, getting out another pastry. “So, you shot Allura’s friends?”

“Ye-wait… Allura?” Lance asked, looking back at the house. He then looked to Pidge again. “As in Princess Allura of Altea?”

“Yeah, apparently.” Pidge shrugged. “Why?”

“Hoo boy… looks like the rumours are starting to hold true...” Lance mumbled. He felt his stomach drop with worry. He hoped that soldiers didn’t snoop much. Finding the princess would be bad, but he was still worried most about Pidge’s safety in all of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though we don't see Matt yet, I felt the desire to add the image with Allura, Matt (his back turned), and Pidge.  
> Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Until next time!


	6. Mage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura, Shiro, and Coran are in search of the mage of the Wolf Forest village. As much as possible, Krolia does her best to protect her children, especially her youngest.

“Wait,” Lance spoke up, “you guys were chased here by Daibazaal soldiers? But this was your destination anyway?” Shiro had been healed up, a potion closing the wound with ease. It was bad, but it wasn’t too severe; Pidge’s potion did the trick. Listening to the information he heard, Lance was worried. Krolia had been concerned about Zarkon’s forces showing up, and they were practically at their front doors.

“That’s what I want to know.” Krolia commented, arms crossed. “You didn’t explain why you came to the forest originally, Princess.”

Allura nodded. If they were going to find who they were looking for, she would have to be honest. Besides, she was aided by them; she owed them an explanation. “We were hoping to find a skilled mage who could perhaps aid us in our quest.” she stated.

“A quest?” Hunk asked, setting out the weapons he crafted for Krolia to examine. “What sort of quest?”

This was where Coran took over for explaining their reason and quest. “There were rumours of a powerful mage living in this area.” he stated. “And those rumours even say of him being more powerful than Honerva, the mage and wife aiding Zarkon. You see, we’re hoping that the mage could help us in finding Princess Katie; there’s evidence pointing to her being alive, and if we find her, we could hopefully help end Zarkon’s conquest.”

“No one’s been able to find her for the past decade.” Krolia reminded. “What makes you think the mage could?”

“I admit, there is no guarantee that the mage could, but we are hopeful. The least we hope for is his aid.” Coran commented.

“But there aren’t many who can even use magic in the town.” Hunk spoke up. “The only one that could be fully considered a mage past just elemental spells is Pidge.” The others couldn’t stop him from pointing Pidge out. No one knew if they could fully trust these strangers, even if one of them was Princess Allura. What if they were working on behalf of Zarkon but pretended to be working in favour of the three kingdoms?

“Wait a moment… this child?” Allura exclaimed in disbelief, motioning to Pidge who was pouring the paste-like potion into different vials. “But he’s so… young!” Pidge scowled but didn’t say anything; she shrugged and resumed her work. “I mean, I know you used magic, but I figured you were an apprentice of some sort! Not a full mage… you’re only what? Twelve?”

“I’m fifteen, thank you very much.” Pidge responded. Allura looked shocked and a little worried, the princess concerned that she possibly insulted the mage. “And I don’t know anything about tracking others. I mainly make potions and spells those in the town could use to defend themselves or recover from injuries and illnesses or help their livelihoods.” She finished with her potion bottles and stored them on the shelf.

“But Pidge...” Allura started to say.

“I’m sorry, but we won’t be much help; while Pidge is considered to be a mage, he’s still young and learning.” Krolia stated. “Hunk, Lance, will you two show them the way to town and the inn there?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lance nodded. He got Allura, Coran, and Shiro to leave with him, but as he left, he looked back at Pidge. He didn’t understand why they would undermine Pidge’s ability, even the little mage did. He knew Pidge was far more capable than most would expect, but the others acted like he couldn’t do as much. It didn’t make sense.

“Hmm...” Shiro seemed to be deep in thought. “I think they’re hiding something. Their home is coated in the scent of magic and I don’t mean the potions. I think Pidge really is that mage we’re seeking; Krolia and Keith smell of fire, but Pidge… his scent is so… different. Like the forest but different.”

“There are different types of magic users.” Coran informed.

“Wait… different types? So not just anyone who uses magic is a mage?” Hunk inquired. He didn’t like the others talking about his and Lance’s friends and being suspicious of them, it only made this trio of strangers seem untrustworthy, but he was still curious.

“Well, in some countries, they call anyone with magic a mage, but here, we tend to classify different types.” Coran explained, messing with the end of his mustache. “We have elementals, which is self-explanatory. Elemental magic is inherited, passed from one generation to the next, though sometimes it can skip generations or even be dormant for many generations; most elementals only use one element within their own natural ability, but there are cases of some with more than one, depending on their family line and their own physical ability. Then there are spell casters. Spell casters can be anyone, actually. It just takes studying and practice, though some can do that more easily than others.”

“So anyone can learn magic?!” That was the first Hunk heard of it.

“Indeed. Even Princess Allura here can cast spells.” Coran motioned to the white haired woman. “It’s also not uncommon for elementals to take up learning spells outside their element. Spell casting even includes magical artifacts; those are special items used to amplify magic or even have a portable, one-shot spell upon being used.”

“And then there are mages.” the ginger haired man continued. “Their magic is deep and natural, rooted more into them than even elementals. Magic comes to them naturally, from the elements to spells, even ancient, dark magic. Their magic doesn’t even have to be inherited; in old stories, there are cases of mages being born to families that aren’t magically inclined. There are even old rumours of mages being able to shapeshift.”

“Shapeshifting?” Lance asked. “Those are just old stories parents tell their children.”

“Well, I did say they were rumours.” Coran shrugged.

“Anyway,” Lance went head of the group as they left the forest, “this is town. You’d be able to find all the essentials at some shop or another. And the inn is just over there.”

“Ah, thank you, my boy.” Coran nodded.

“Indeed, thank you.” Allura dipped her head gratefully. Her group then parted ways with Lance and Hunk, heading over to the inn to get a room. “Hmm, I wonder if Pidge really is the mage we’re looking for. But he’s so young...”

“We could always ask around, but I suspect we should be cautious in doing so.” Coran suggested. “This town isn’t affected too much by Zarkon it seems, so the people are probably close knit and protective of one another.” While in other towns, people were protective, people are less open about that in the locations where Zarkon has taken over. “And if Pidge really is the rumoured mage, then we really should tread lightly. His mother would be especially protective of him, as any mother would be.”

“After we get our room, we can ask around. Cautiously, of course.” Shiro stated. Of course, while the others asked around, he intended on going back to that cabin, hoping to talk more with the family and see Pidge again; he still felt that though young, Pidge definitely was who they were looking for. He smelled too strongly of powerful magic.

Pidge discarded her cloak and clothing so they wouldn’t get damaged, though she left the necklace she always wore; it was the only thing that could handle the transformation, adjusting for either form. She folded them up and hid them away before stepping back, letting her joints pop and twist, growing and contorting as her form shifted. She fell to her hands and knees and felt her skin stretch and pull. It soon gave way, tearing apart. But underneath, blood did not shed. A new layer of flesh had already formed, this one covered in a fine layer of fur that thickened as it became exposed.

Her hands and feet made horrible cracking noises as they contorted, changing from their human appearances to the paws of a wolf, thick and dark claws breaking past, destroying the human nails she had. Her spine rippled as it changed, supporting her newly formed hips and shoulders, even extending for her tail to form. Her ears moved and elongated, standing more upright on her head as her jaw cracked and grew. In her mouth, her teeth grew sharper, readying her for the form of a predator.

It took a few moments, but Pidge had taken on the form of the guardian wolf. As painful as it looked, she still welcomed it for it was oddly comforting. She stood on massive paws and took in the surroundings. While her senses were strong as a human, thanks to her connection as a wolf, they always increased when she took on this form.

**“Visitor in the forest! Visitor in the forest!”** Pidge looked up when she heard a bird call out as it flew above.

**“Visitor? Did you see? Friend or foe?”** Pidge called out, actually talking to the feathered animal.

**“Stranger! Stranger!”** was the bird’s response before it flew off.

Stranger? Well, that ruled out a villager. They could either be a traveler or one of Zarkon’s soldiers. With a snort and a growl, Pidge set off, looking for the stranger in the forest. She sniffed around, trying to locate the scent. But then she caught it. Shiro. The man Lance shot in the shoulder. What was he doing in the forest?

Pidge watched, hidden in the shrubs, as Shiro traversed the forest. The man with bi-coloured hair seemed to be looking for something. The way back to town? The way to the cabin? She then shifted, ready to move to follow him. That was a mistake, though; Shiro spun around and drew his sword, ready to fight whoever or whatever he heard.

“Show yourself!” Shiro called.

Pidge stared for a bit. Was he expecting someone to follow him? Or was he anticipating a soldier? She dared to come out of her hiding spot, stepping out of the shrubs and showing her massive form. Shiro stared in shock.

“Holy crow.” Shiro gasped out. “That’s… that’s a big wolf...” He was stunned. He had never seen a wolf as big as Pidge was. “Okay, okay, Wolf Forest. Allura mentioned wolves last night… this guy is probably just… part of the pack?” He put his sword in its sheathe and put his hands up slightly. “I don’t mean harm. I was just worried you could be a Daibazaal soldier. The last thing we need are those guys lurking.”

Pidge sniffed. He was being honest. She then slowly approached and Shiro went stiff, nervous. She sniffed him more before gently opening her jaws, putting them carefully around the man’s throat. She didn’t apply pressure, though; she simply backed off from that, as though to show him that she could hurt him but she wouldn’t.

“You… you mean no harm?” Shiro lowered one of his arms. “Phew. That’s a relief.” He then extended his other arm, gently touching the wolf’s face. “Wow. You’re big one, aren’t you, boy? I bet you can scare off any soldier. But Lance and Hunk didn’t seem too concerned walking in the woods… I guess you’re not a threat to the villagers.”

Pidge gave a low growl, but it wasn’t to be menacing. She was showing that she was responding to Shiro. She then turned away, catching another scent. Keith’s. He was probably out for a hunt or to look for her in that form. She snorted and went to him, leading Shiro over.

“There you are.” Keith commented, hugging Pidge. He then looked past when he noticed Shiro. “What do you want? Didn’t they show you to town?”

“They did, but I was hoping to find your cabin again; I wanted to talk with your family.” Shiro admitted. “So… you know this wolf. Is he a pet?”

“None of the wolves are pets; they’re our friends, though.” Keith nearly snapped. “This is the Guardian Wolf, a protector. Keep out of trouble, you won’t find his jaws crushing into you.”

“Already found them around my throat, but thankfully he didn’t act like a threat to me.” Shiro admitted, rubbing his throat.

“Why do you want to talk to my family? We can’t help.” Keith stated.

“I want to know more; I feel like if possible, you guys could help, even your little brother.” Shiro sighed. “We’re desperate for help. It’s only a matter of time before Zarkon’s forces find Princess Katie and if we can get help from another powerful mage… I know your mother said he’s still learning, but I feel like you guys are just saying that. I feel that Pidge is a lot more powerful than you let on.”

Keith grumbled. “Just leave our family alone.” he commented. He then stopped when he heard wolves howling. “Huh?”

“Communicating? Or maybe hunting?” Shiro asked. Both men stopped and looked at Pidge when she started snarling.

“No… trouble...” Keith responded.


	7. The Attack on the Village of Wolf Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daibazaal soldiers end up in the village and forest, seeking out Princess Allura. But she doesn't plan on being taken as he group grows.

Pidge could hear the other wolves. Intruders closing in on the forest and town. They were not a good sort of intruder either. They had to be Daibazaal soldiers. Hearing the call of the others and then the birds relaying the message as they flew through the trees, she found her suspicions to be accurate.

“You get back to town! Stay on guard but don’t be stupid about things.” Keith ordered Shiro as he pulled himself onto Pidge’s back.

Shiro didn’t know what to make of Keith pulling himself up onto the back of a giant wolf, but the situation was so dire, he didn’t have time to question it. “What about you?”

“You should worry more about protecting that princess you were traveling with.” Keith smirked a bit before holding onto the fur on the back of Pidge’s neck. Without any command, she took off, running through the trees and heading back to where her clothes were. She didn’t waste time in changing, though, and instead just grabbed them up in her jaws before heading home to their cabin.

“I heard the howling and the birds are swarming.” Krolia stated when her children arrived. “It’s bad, isn’t it?” She watched as Keith jumped down from Pidge’s back and Pidge collapsed as she forced herself to change faster than usual. She cried out at the discomfort of going too quickly, but she felt the need to do so at that pace. “Deep breaths, kiddo. Deep breaths.”

“Daibazaal… soldiers… the wolves… found them… at the north… side...” Pidge gasped out as her mother put the cloak around her.

“Okay… okay...” Krolia nodded.

“They say… there’s many… a hundred… at least...”

Krolia held back a few choice words. “Okay, honey, let’s get you inside and dressed.” She picked up her child and rushed inside. “Keith! Get a pack ready to leave.”

“Mom, we can’t leave you! We ca-”

“Keith, I won’t have this argument.” Krolia sit Pidge down on a bench and went to her son. “This is war.”

“And you need our help. Pidge and I can-”

“Keith… remember ten years ago… when we took Pidge in… you didn’t understand why we needed to keep him safe and hidden.”

“Yeah.” Keith nodded.

Krolia pulled her son further away so Pidge wouldn’t hear them. “We had to keep him safe because… he’s the missing princess. He’s Princess Katie.” Keith’s eyes widened. “Now listen, you can’t tell anyone, not even Pidge. He has to remain oblivious to this… if possible, I’d rather not have told you, but… this is why he needs to stay safe...”

“Why can’t we tell him?” Keith whispered.

“To keep the enemy from tracking him better.” Krolia sighed. “Tracking can be held to an identity, which is why we called him Pidge and raised him as a boy, even had him go with that so he could maintain his safety. But now that trouble has come here, you need to get him to safety.”

Keith sighed. He held onto the necklace he wore. “Okay… I’ll protect him. I’m his big brother after all.” He then took off, going to get what he needed.

Krolia grabbed Pidge’s clothes and got her dressed. Pidge grumbled, worn out from the quick change. “Honey, you and Keith are going away for a bit. You two need to look after each other, okay?”

“Where are we going, Mama?” Pidge inquired. “Ugh… I hate changing so quickly… but it was necessary...”

“I know, honey.” Krolia smiled as she finished helping Pidge get dressed. “And honestly, I don’t know where you’re going. But it’s for the best for now. I will find you, though.” She looked when Keith returned, a bag packed, including a bow, a few different swords, and various potions in his pack. “You two need be careful. Head to the east first and try to avoid the soldiers.”

“We will.” Keith said. “Pidge, do you think you can run?”

“I’d get us further as a wolf.” Pidge stated.

“Yeah, well, for now, settle for being a pipsqueak.” Keith chuckle. “Need me to carry you?”

“No.” Pidge got up with Krolia’s help and tried to step forward; her mother and brother caught hold of her when she stumbled a bit. “Fine, you can carry me. But only until my muscles and bones stop screaming at me.”

“Good choice.” Keith said. “Kosmo! Here boy!” Kosmo was outside, keeping guard over things. He then ran in when called upon. Keith strapped his pack to the bluish wolf’s body and then picked Pidge up, holding her on his back. “Okay, we’re heading out. But Mom… will you be okay?”

“Heh, these guys show up and my family could be in danger?” Krolia smirked. “Never mess with a mama wolf when she protects her pups.” She kissed both of her children on the cheek. “You two be good and look after each other.” Kosmo whined at her. “My bad. Three.” She smiled softly. “Now get going. Stay together and protect each other.”

“Stay safe, Mom.” Keith gave a gentle nod before running out of the cabin, taking off into the forest and hoping to avoid the soldiers.

“Princess, we have a problem!” Shiro informed, going to the room where he, Coran, and Allura were staying. “There is trouble nearing; judging by Keith’s reaction and the wolves, it could be Daibazaal soldiers.”

“What?” Allura stared in shock. “We haven’t even determined if the mage is Pidge… we can’t just leave...”

“But we can’t risk Zarkon’s forces capturing you.” Shiro reminded. “You escaped once before, but if you’re captured again...”

Allura bit her lip. She then heard some commotion outside. “I don’t even need to see them to know who’s in town… dammit.”

“Princess, we may need to worry about the mage another time or even look for a new one. Your safety is important right now.” Coran reminded.

Allura sighed, defeat unfortunately shimmering in her eyes. “Okay… Maybe… maybe in leaving, the soldiers will follow and leave these people alone.” She hoped that was the case. She then nodded. “Let’s go then. Make sure they see us and follow.” Her two friends nodded as they grabbed up their supplies and they got ready to leave.

Allura left the inn with Coran and Shiro, sticking close to them. Already the town had been infiltrated by the soldiers, but the townsfolk were, as much as possible, tenacious. They seemed to have anticipated trouble and several were prepared. At least they were ready to protect their town, their people, their families.

“C’mon, Allura, we need to trust they’ll be okay.” Shiro grabbed the princess by the arm and ran off. However, they were stopped when they saw one of Zarkon’s top soldiers. “Sendak!” Shiro hissed under his breath, seeing the soldier standing there.

Sendak. The same soldier Katie struck before her fall and disappearance. Where she got his eye, a patch was placed. The arm she injured had been replaced, enchanted metal taking place. Before her fall, she truly left some damage.

“So, this is where you went; ran off with a princess. For what? To escape? Or to search?” Sendak snarled, drawing his blade. “No matter, though; now that you’re caught, you will be ended and Princess Allura will be taken to Zarkon.”

“Like hell I’ll let you drag her back there.” Shiro pushed Allura behind him and closer to Coran. He readied his blade, certain there would be a fight between them. He didn’t get a chance to strike, even when Sendak lunged for him.

Sendak stopped himself and stood straight, using his metal arm to block arrows as they were rained down upon them. He expected a group of archers, but he only saw one on the roof of a building. “A little country mouse fighting me? How plucky.” Sendak sneered up at Lance, seeing the archer there, readying his bow with another arrow. “You think that can take me, little kid? I’ve dealt with more lethal than you. And in smaller packages, too.” He dared not say it was his greatest failure, but he meant Katie and how, because of her poison dagger, she nearly ended his life. The poison nearly took him; in the end, it cost him his eye and, to save his life, his arm.

“It wasn’t exactly meant to take you down, just distract you.” Lance admitted, looking smug.

“Huh?” Sendak had a brief moment of confusion. On his blind side, he didn’t notice Hunk running in right away. By the time he did, it was too late. Hunk, wielding a massive weapon that seemed hammer-like on one side and ax-like on the other; the staff of it was long enough and certainly sturdy as it allowed him the right swing and leverage to smash it into Sendak, hitting him with the blunt side. Of course, blunt didn’t mean painless. He hit Sendak hard enough that the soldier was literally sent hurtling into the nearest building and right through a window, sounds of breaking and shattering going inside.

“Oh! Oops, I sure hope the baker doesn’t get mad at me for that damage.” Hunk admitted. “She will have my ear for that.”

“Hunk, my friend, our town is being overrun by violent soldiers… and you’re worried about Lucille grabbing your ear?” Lance asked.

“Do you not recall her grip?”

Lance thought it over. “Point taken.” He got down from the roof. “So, safe to say these jerks followed you?” he asked the princess.

“I believe so; we planned on retreating, hoping they’d follow us.” Allura admitted.

“Hopefully that’s the case...” Lance nodded in agreement. He knew Krolia didn’t want him involved, but his consciousness told him to help the princess. Hunk was right before, he didn’t need to be a knight to do good and help others. “We need to get you out of here. If you’ll have me, I’ll help.”

Allura didn’t want to involve Lance; he didn’t seem that old. Sixteen? Seventeen maybe? Either way, he was young. But she had to admit to herself, archery was a good skill to have on the team. “Thank you, Lance, your aid is appreciated.” Allura nodded. She then looked to Hunk. She didn’t want to ask for help, she didn’t wish to trouble anyone, but if he decided on his own, she wouldn’t stop him.

“Someone’s gotta help keep Lance alive out there, so… count me in.” Hunk stated.

“We best head west of here; we may have less to go through than if we go north.” Coran stated. “We can skirt alongside the woods or...”

“I know the woods well, I’ve spent most of my life going through them.” Lance informed.

“Then take the lead.” Allura ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.” Lance did as told.

Keith set Pidge down when she was no longer sore. He then went around collecting some herbs for her, letting her chew on them to get her strength back more. “If you still need me to carry you, I can.” he reminded.

“I’m not helpless, I can move on my own. And my legs aren’t too short, I can keep up.” Pidge stated, swallowing down the herbs. “Besides, my strength is back, I should be fine.”

“Quickly transforming has never been a friend...” Keith sighed. He then looked back in the direction they came from. “I hope everyone is okay… Mom, too.”

“I do, too.” Pidge asked. She then lifted her head, hearing rustling. “Someone’s coming.”

Keith grabbed his bow and pulled back. There may not have been an arrow docked, but he didn’t need it. He uttered a small spell, one of the few he knew. It was tied in with his fire magic and caused an arrow made of fire to form, ready to be loosed. He waited. Then a figure emerged. He let it go, almost hitting the person and getting it to embed itself into a tree and disappear.

“WHOA!” Lance yelped, jumping in alarm. “Keith? What the hell!? You almost hit me!” He looked at the black haired boy with an accusing glare before looking at the tree again. “Wait… that was fire? But… where’s the arrow? And the tree isn’t on fire...”

“It was controlled magic.” Coran informed, noticing what it was right away. “Pidge, Keith, I’m surprised to find you two way out here.”

“What do you want? Did you guys follow us?” Keith demanded.

“What? No! Of course… not...” Lance saw Pidge there, finally noticing the small mage. He then looked away, blushing. “We uh… just seem to be going the same way… there are Daibazaal soldiers in town and Hunk and I are aiding Princess Allura.”

“We’re clearly going the same way.” Allura said, stepping up. “And, while some may argue it, there is safety in numbers. Perhaps we could help each other? You two seem to be fleeing as well. I won’t ask why, but...”

Keith sighed. He then looked down at the sibling he was raised with. He had to protect Pidge, mostly out of being the older brother, partially because this mage was the missing princess of Gaia. She was who Allura was looking for. “Pidge? She has a point.” he stated. “And Mom wants us to be safe.”

Pidge looked up at Keith before nodding. “Okay...” she mumbled.

“Then we best keep moving. There’s a probability that the soldiers would try to follow after us...” She stopped. She heard rustling around. From behind the trees and shrubs, a number of soldiers stepped out.

“Correction, Princess, they seemed to have already followed us.” Keith looked around as he pushed Pidge to be behind him when he backed in closer to the group. Next to them, Kosmo snarled. “Easy, boy, easy.” he coaxed.

“Looks like we have no choice but to fight.” Shiro said, his sword already out.

“As though you could fight all of us.” one of the soldiers stated.


	8. Quest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escaping the soldiers who invaded Wolf Forest, the group finds themselves as traveling companions and end up on the quest to search for the missing princess together.

“Looks like we have no choice but to fight.” Shiro was ready with his sword. They may have been surrounded and out numbered, but he wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

“As though you could fight all of us.” a soldier commented. The soldiers were ready ready to take down this strange group and take Princess Allura prisoner.

“Hey, you may have us out numbered, but you don’t have us out powered.” Lance smirked as he drew his bow, having it docked with a few arrows.

Pidge peaked out from behind Keith, seeing the soldiers on that side. She then moved to look out past Shiro. She could see they were surrounded. They had to get away, but the soldiers weren’t going to make it easy. With everyone, or at least those who could since she didn’t know who of the three strangers could, fighting, things could get out of hand and make it harder to escape. However, she was sure she could do something to aid them, even if it would wear herself out.

Pidge decided on magic. Her mother may have tried to hide the fact that she had a lot of magic going for her, but some things couldn’t be hidden forever. Pidge knelt down and slid her fingers into the dirt, smiling when she felt a tree root move, coming up above the earth and wrap itself around her wrist. “I’ll need your help, dear forest.”

Pidge closed her eyes, focusing on the magic within herself and in the forest. Without a single word, she manipulated that magic, making it pulse and course through roots and to the surrounding trees. Before any fighting can occur, branches started to move. The leaves on the trees rustled and wood cracked and creaked. The sound was ominous, especially to the three strangers and the soldiers.

“Huh? What’s going on?” Shiro asked, looking around.

“Magic.” Lance responded. He hadn’t witnessed before what Pidge was doing, but he knew magic when he saw it.

Pidge controlled the trees to a certain extent. She caused vines, branches, and roots to move, ensnaring the soldiers. They were startled by this, the group trying to fight off the trees that attacked them. Pidge continued holding that magic until she collapsed, exhausted by the use of magic.

“I think this is our cue to get the hell out of here.” Shiro commented.

“Pidge… you okay?” Lance knelt beside the mage, checking on her.

“I’ll carry him.” Coran offered, getting Pidge on his back and supported. “But I agree, we need to get moving.” He stood up and waited for Keith to take lead.

Keith looked back to make sure Pidge was fine. He was grateful for Coran deciding to help out. Nodding, he took the lead, getting them through the forest. “I don’t know how much time we can get from this, but we need to act quick.” To be honest, he feared they wouldn’t get far. He had a feeling that they were being tracked through spells and magic. Knowing that Princess Allura was with them, they could have been tracking her the entire time.

He felt he should bring that up, but he had to wait until they were safe. Or at least safer. And that meant being on the run for several hours, well until it was almost sunset and they were in another forest. There, it was decided they would stop and set up camp.

“You didn’t need to carry me the entire time.” Pidge commented, stretching. “I would have been fine after my strength returned. But… thanks. For helping.”

“It was my pleasure.” Coran said as he settled down around the fire Keith set up, lighting it easily with magic.

Keith smiled a bit. He didn’t know what to think of the trio for the most part, but Coran seemed decent enough. He then looked to Allura. “You’re out of the forest and town. After this, we part ways.” he stated.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Allura asked.

“First off, we’re not your traveling companions; we’re not here to help with your quest.” Keith reminded. “And second, I don’t want to deal with Daibazaal soldiers much; odds are they’re tracking you. Probably with magic since they know your identity.”

“So you understand tracking magic?” Allura inquired. “I assure you, though, they can’t track me through magic.”

“You’re so full of yourself.”

“No, a part of me remains elsewhere and tracking magic leads them to it.” Allura noticed Keith tip his head to the side, like a confused pup. “When I escaped my home, I used a spell with my cousin; she took my place to try and buy me time. With it, I used my hair and cast magic into it, leaving it as a bracelet Romelle wore so she could take my appearance. With that, the hair left behind is the beacon for tracking magic. The only reason we were tracked was because we were accidentally careless… and they tracked us like hunters would.”

Keith was ready to comment that that sounded like utter crap, but he stopped. He realized he had seen something similar when his mother cut Pidge’s hair so long go and had a wolf take it away. He then sighed. “Fine...” he muttered.

“Besides… your brother is a skilled mage. And I truly believe he is the one who can help us.” Allura commented. She went to Pidge and knelt before her. “Please, Pidge? Won’t you aid us? Your magic will be of great help on our quest. Even… even if it can’t be used for what we need in the end, your abilities will still be helpful.”

Pidge tensed up. She didn’t like this pressure being put on her. She then looked to Keith, hoping for any sort of signal that she should accept or deny this request. Unfortunately the look in his eyes said she needed to make the decision herself. She then hugged onto Kosmo. “I guess… but… if anything comes up and we need or want to part ways… you can’t try to force us to stay. Okay?”

Allura nodded. “That’s fair.” she said. “Thank you.”

“Hey, I know the situation is serious and such, but now that we have things a little settled… can we perhaps do something about food?” Hunk questioned, a hand to his stomach as it audibly rumbled. “This was kind of rushed… so I didn’t get to pack anything. Just some normal things I keep on my tool belt.”

“Indeed… we were rushed...” Allura admitted.

“I can hunt.” Keith stated. “Lance. Keep an eye on our camp here. You’re an archer, so you’re the first defense. Kosmo, keep here; if anyone who isn’t a friend shows up, warn them.” Kosmo grumbled, confirming what Keith said, before laying in close to Pidge. With that settled, Keith left, going out to hunt a bit.

“Your brother is definitely the sort to be demanding, isn’t he?” Shiro inquired.

“That’s Keith for you.” Pidge said, unstrapping the pack from Kosmo and going through what supplies they had. She checked ingredients and potions on hand before looking around. “Hmm… oh! Just what I need!” She got up and went to the outer ridge of their camp and picked some spiny looking leaves. When she returned, she crushed them with some of her ingredients. “Hmm… anyone see a hallowed rock or something? Something I can use as a bowl?”

“Oh, I might have you covered.” Coran went through his own pack and procured a metal bowl. He handed it to Pidge and watched the little mage put the ingredients into it. “I see, you’re making a protection potion to keep our camp safe through the night.”

“Yeah, I’m missing dew dust.” Pidge admitted.

“Dew… dust?” Shiro asked. “That doesn’t make sense. Is it a rare mineral?”

“Only if you don’t know how to make it. With certain magic, some spell casters can solidify morning dew and crush it into a fine dust. It’s a good binding agent for many potions.” Coran informed as he went through his pack again. He brought forth a pouch of sparkling powder, handing it to Pidge. She took a pinch and mixed it in with her potion. “It’s a temporary thing; after the sun comes up and burns off the rest of the dew, depending on the potion and other ingredients, it disappears, too. And with a protection potion like this, it’d burn off easily and we can’t be tracked through magic protecting our campsites.”

Pidge smiled. “You know a lot about magic and potions.” she told him. “Are you a mage, too?”

“No, I’m not very magically talented.” Coran admitted. “I’m sure I could cast spells or make magically induced potions if I tried really hard, but I don’t have much skill in it. I do, however, study and know how to make some potions that don’t actually require magic.”

“So you’re like a walking encyclopedia?” Pidge grinned brightly, liking this man with a mustache.

Lance watched Pidge and smiled. There the mage was, gladly fixing a potion. More than that, she was excited to talk about magic and potions with Coran. Even if Coran didn’t use magic himself, he seemed very intelligent and ready with answers. He was certain that would definitely make Pidge even happier about being a part of the quest.

“Okay, now to just put this around our camp.” Pidge stated, getting up and creating a magic circle around their spot. “We’ll be mostly safe through the night.”

“Mostly?” Hunk asked, looking worried.

“Bugs. You’re bound to wake up with some bug bites.” Pidge shrugged. It wasn’t that big of a deal to her. Hunk let out a sigh of relief; he could live with bug bites over anything else biting him, literally and figuratively, any day.

After Pidge finished with the magic to keep them protected, she settled down. Kosmo curled in close to her. After some moments, the wolf alerted them to Keith’s return. From there, Keith worked on his kill, a deer he managed to hunt down, getting it ready for consumption.

“So,” Lance said when they were finally eating, “where exactly are we going next? Or are we just winging it from here?”

“Actually, we do have a plan.” Allura stated. “Now that we have Pidge with us, and hoping this works out well and he can use the magic for it, we’ll be heading to the Olkari province.”

“Olkari province?” Lance asked. “Okay, for someone who’s lived near the Wolf Forest almost for their entire life and actually never fully studied the towns of Gaia...”

“It’s not a town, but rather it’s a territory.” Allura explained. “It is within the Gaia kingdom and borders Altea.”

“So what’s there? You think that’s where the missing princess is?” Hunk inquired. He bit into the food before scowling. “Keith you heathen, next time let me cook. This has no taste.”

“Taste? It tastes like meat to me.” Keith responded.

“My point exactly. It’s bland. I’m cooking next time.” Hunk sighed. “Good thing I keep some spices in my tool belt.”

“No, I’m certain Katie isn’t there.” Allura stated. Keith glanced away; he knew Allura wasn’t wrong. However, the princess was sitting among them, though not even she knew who she was. “However, there is an estate there that is very special for it was the home Katie was born in.”

“She… wasn’t born in the castle?” Hunk inquired.

Allura shook her head. “No. She was supposed to be, but she was born early. Many times, the royal families got together; this was before Zarkon’s greed consumed him. His son, Lotor, Katie’s brother, Matt, and I would play all the time. Even my cousin, Romelle, spent time with us there. Colleen went into labour early, though, and Katie was born during our stay.”

“You see, there are different ways to track others through magic, some harder than others. There’s one last way that is, last I knew, too hard for Honerva to do. But… I’m hoping Pidge can use this tracking technique.” Allura continued to speak.

“So what way is it you want my brother to try?” Keith asked.

“Well, a sort of light magic that calls upon nature and life.” Allura stated. She looked to Pidge. “You manipulated the forest; it is a rare element to use and believed that only the Olkari tribes can use. But being a mage and able to use it yourself, I think you can call upon Katie’s energy in that castle and locate her.”

“I… I don’t know anything about that sort of magic though…” Pidge admitted, looking away some. “I’m still learning… I can’t even always control my magic. Controlling the trees took a lot out of me… otherwise...” Kosmo whined and nudged her with his head to comfort the mage. The others assumed her trailing off meant that she wouldn’t have been able to help and they would have to help, but Pidge knew that if she didn’t have proper control, she could have accidentally hurt those that weren’t her enemies.

“I’ve studied magic most of my life. And so has Coran.” Allura assured. “We’ll be able to help you learn to use and control your magic.”

“It’ll take time for us to get there, so we have plenty of time to learn.” Coran declared.

Pidge perked up. “I like learning.” she informed. And indeed she did. She often found that the more she learned, the less seemed frightening to her.

“Just don’t push yourself too much.” Keith reminded, a soft smile on his face.

“I’ll do my best.”


	9. The Wolf in Human Flesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge longs to return to her wolf form, being unable to freely change making her feel like she is no longer in skin of her own. Deep inside, her inner wolf paws, ready to come out. Timing, though, is not on her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does contain fantasy violence and bloodshed.

Pidge hated the feeling of not being able to just transform as she wished. Traveling as a group for the past week, she had not entered her wolf form. She never had this issue before so the itchy sensation she felt, as though she wasn’t in skin that belonged to her, was new and irritating. But she did her best.

And her best came in the form of distracting herself with collecting ingredients for potions and creating some. She sat in their campsite; while they couldn’t exactly take too long to rest, they came to the decision that it wouldn’t hurt to set up camp early, the sun barely at its highest point. The area was calm and plentiful in both prey and ingredients. As she sat there, she worked on a potion for Lance to dip his arrows in so that they would be stronger for if… for when trouble would show up.

“Okay,” Pidge said after she finished mixing the potion up, “they’re done. And on top of being stronger and weakening your foes when struck, the scent will keep chipmunks and squirrels out of your gear.” She got up and handed the dish of goop to Lance.

“Thanks, Pidge!” Lance chimed, looking happy as he accepted the potion. As he took it, his fingers brushed against Pidge’s. He made sure to not jolt too much, not wanting to accidentally drop the potion, but he did go rigid, as though some severe static was coursing through him. His cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red.

“Hmm?” Pidge tilted her head to the side; Lance honestly wished the mage would do that, it only made her so much cuter. “Are you okay? Your face is red. You don’t seem sick...” She would have been able to smell sickness on him if that was the case, but she refrained from phrasing it like that. She then reached up with her other hand, gently feeling his forehead. “Hmm, a little warm, but not feverish.”

“It’s nothing! I just… uh… might be tired.” Lance quickly said. “Thanks for the potion; I’ll get it applied to my arrows!” He pulled away quickly and went over to where Hunk was, sitting next to him. Hunk was snickering, as was Allura as she sat across from them.

Pidge watched, confused. As kind as he was, Lance was a strange boy. The excitement he showed, the way he would stare, how he reacted if they accidentally brushed against each other. While she was technically human, she often struggled to understand the ways of the two legged.

“Anyway,” Pidge spoke up, “I’m going to gather more supplies. There are plenty of herbs here.”

“Take Kosmo with you.” Keith instructed as he worked with a potion, polishing his sword with it. He then looked to Shiro doing the same. “No, no, smaller circles when rubbing it in; you want the potion to properly be pressed into the steel.”

“Oh, right.” Shiro nodded. “Thanks.”

“Yeah, I know.” Pidge waved it off.

“I’ll go with; with two of us gathering supplies, it’ll go much quicker.” Coran offered, getting up. He walked off with Pidge, leaving the immediate area for their camp. Personally, Pidge didn’t mind Coran joining her. In their week of traveling so far, she found herself enjoying his company and listening to him talk about potions and spells.

While Kosmo stood guard, Coran and Pidge collected various plants, from small flowers to mushrooms that were just beginning to show themselves. They were making sure that their supplies would be plentiful, not wanting to run out too soon since they weren’t totally prepared when they had to flee. Thankfully some ingredients were easy to find.

“Ah, what it is to be young and in love.” Coran chuckled. “Or, well… younger.” Being the eldest in the group, Coran didn’t want to actually admit to how old he was.

“Huh?” Pidge looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about Lance. He may be an archer and shoot game, but I do believe love has shot him instead.” Coran mused. “In short, he is in love. And it shows quite a bit.”

Pidge tipped her head to the side. She didn’t fully get what Coran was prattling on about. Then again, he was rather perceptive and probably understood humans more. Scratch that, he definitely understood them more. “Lance? In love? I guess.” Pidge shrugged. “Certainly can’t be with Keith; they somewhat get along but… nope. Probably not. And he and Hunk are more like brothers. I should know that; I’ve known them most of my life. Maybe all of it. Allura’s pretty and nice, he could like her. But Shiro’s big, strong, and with a very good heart. If Lance wants any of them as a mate, Shiro would be the one.”

Coran blinked. Mate? An odd choice of words, but he brushed that aside, figuring it was because the young mage lived in the forest with Krolia, Keith, and a bunch of wolves. Words probably differed.

“My dear,” Coran chuckled, “surely a young lady like yourself would even know love and the direction it’s headed, correct?”

“I don’t pay attention to that sort of stu-” Pidge froze and looked over at Coran. She didn’t know if she heard him right. Everyone called her a boy, even Keith to keep the secret, but Coran called her a lady.

Coran waved it off. “I’m rather perceptive, more so than most give me credit for.” he commented. “Why you’re posing as a boy, well, that is no concern of mine and is your business. Though judging by your reaction, it’s not because you actually identify as a boy instead.”

Kosmo went to Pidge and whined a bit before nudging her. He seemed to try and reassure the mage. “It’s not like I care if I’m seen as a boy or girl… but… it’s just best to keep others thinking I’m a boy like Mama said I should.” she stated, putting her hand up to scratched through the wolf’s fur.

“Well, until you feel the time is right, I will keep this a secret as well.”

Pidge nodded, thankful for that. “Thanks.” she said. “So… perceptive. That explains you noticing different herbs quickly during our travels.” She picked some leaves.

“You’re perceptive yourself.” Coran reminded, refraining from adding _mostly_. Pidge may have been perceptive of things as well, but she didn’t seem to comprehend that Lance had a crush on her. Oh well, maybe one day. “Always noticing herbs that even I can’t pick up on.”

“Yeah, it helps that I was raised in the forest.” Pidge knew it was because she was in touch with her wolf self, but like hell she was going to tell him that yet. “So… going to the Olkarion province… have you been there before?”

“Several times in fact.” Coran stated. “Alfor, the king of Altea, and I were good friends and I often traveled with him there. Even spent a couple of years apprenticing under the Olkari people, learning about their magic and potions making abilities. Not that I use magic.”

“Can’t you use magic?” Pidge inquired.

“Well, while anyone can with even the right amount of practice and studying, it’s not my specialty, so I gladly learn and share that knowledge with others.” Coran informed, looking proud. “I think you’d like the Olkari people. Their magic is unlike any other.”

“Allura pointed out them using nature and life. She also pointed out me manipulating the trees.” Pidge stated. “Is that what they can do?”

“Indeed.” Coran nodded. “You see, nature, the plants, is an element that is hard to control and manipulate. It’s a special element that you rarely find outside the Olkari tribes; those outside who do, though, show to have familial ties to the tribes.”

“I wonder if I have ties to the tribes.” Pidge mused.

“It’s possible.” Coran nodded. “I think, if we meet with any of the tribes, you could learn a lot from them, even more control so you don’t wear yourself out.”

Pidge thought it over. To learn more from anyone about magic, to broaden her horizons, and gain more control, the idea was definitely a welcome thing. She smiled softly and nodded. Before she could respond, her mouth open, she caught a scent. Danger. Trouble. Kosmo picked up on it, too, since he started growling, the blue part of his pelt bristling.

“Another predator?” Coran inquired.

“That’s one way of putting it, but these predators don’t kill to eat.” Pidge commented. “We need to get back to camp; we’re about to have some unwanted company if we don’t hurry.” She grabbed up what she gathered and ran off, making sure Coran was with her. “We need to go! Now!” she ordered.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Allura asked.

“Trouble.” Keith could already tell. “Grab what you can quickly; odds are we don’t have much time!”

They had quickly gathered their supplies and belongings, thankful they hadn’t fully unpacked for the night. They then took off through the woods they were in. “Okay, how did they find us so soon? Is it the same group from the village?”

“If they found another way to track us, maybe, but Zarkon’s men are all over the lands; it could easily be another group.” Shiro responded. He noticed something was off. He then pushed Allura behind a tree when an arrow shot past, narrowly missing where she had been. “Damn, looks like they’ve already caught up. Everyone be on guard.”

Soldiers revealed themselves, stepping out of the shadows. They were ready to attack, kill those in the way and take Allura prisoner.

“Why does it feel like they set a trap?” Hunk asked, looking around.

“They probably did.” Keith speculated. He then held out his hand, causing fire to form in it. “We don’t have time for this crap.”

“Keith, watch it; combat with fire in a forest, you may burn it down; I don’t care how much control you say you have.” Pidge snapped.

“I know to be careful!” Keith hissed. He then threw the fire at some of the soldiers, hoping to burn them. A couple of soldiers knew magic, though, and deflected the attacks, one even casting their own fire attack.

The fire elemental was going to be problematic. Lance knew this much, so he readied one of his arrows, complete with the potion coating on the tip. He didn’t take much time between docking the arrow and loosing it, quick to aim. The elemental was taken down, but that didn’t mean they were in the clear. There were others. Lance dodged an arrow, literally, and it embedded in a tree behind him.

“Hmm?” Coran checked the arrow from the enemy as the others fought, defending themselves and trying to take down their foes. “Oh no! These things are poisoned!”

“Poison arrows? Oh, that’s just great!” Allura’s tone said she definitely did not find it to be great.

“And I don’t suppose anyone knows the antido-” Lance froze. He looked to his arm. Looking at the arrow and its position, the archer was behind him and in a tree. He was quick to get an arrow, aim, and release, a soldier falling down from his hiding spot.

“Lance!” Allura called out, worried. She went to Lance and checked on his arm as he stumbled, the poison weakening him. “This isn’t good.”

Indeed, it wasn’t good. Pidge stared with wide eyes as she watched Lance slump a bit in Allura’s arms. This was a friend of hers who was injured. Sure, she didn’t always act with him the way Hunk did, but she was fond of the archer with a jovial personality. And seeing this, she was infuriated. She began to audibly growl.

“Huh?” Keith looked over. “Pidge? Pidge! Don’t!” he called to her. But she didn’t listen. Or maybe his call was too late.

Pidge normally took her time transforming, especially when going from human to wolf, but this time she didn’t. More painful than quickly changing back to human, her muscles quickly grew and popped, the sound heard by most of those there. Worst of all, with how her skin ripped away along with her clothing, she actually shed her own blood. Before she was fully transformed, she lunged at a soldier; by the time she reached them, their helmet and skull were crushed between massive jaws. A normal wolf wouldn’t be able to do that, but Pidge was no normal wolf.

“Oh no...” Keith whispered. He looked to his younger sibling, brown fur tinged in sticky blood; some of it being the first soldier’s, most of it being hers from her quick transformation. While her revealing this form, showing the others she was the guardian wolf, was not anticipated, this was not what worried Keith the most. It was the fact that he could feel that she was no longer in control and was consumed by rage, concern, and her instincts. “This isn’t good.”


	10. Bloodstained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being a giant wolf filled with magic did not mean Pidge was invincible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for bloodshed and mentions of nudity (not exactly graphic, but still).

“This isn’t good.” Keith stared at his younger sibling as she snarled at the soldiers. When they tried to attack her, she retaliated, crushing bones and ripping flesh apart. This wasn’t her. This wasn’t Pidge! This was the wolf that struck and defended herself and her pack. “Don’t show aggression; if you aren’t hostile, Pidge won’t be either.” he ordered, mainly toward Shiro who looked ready to run his sword through the wolf.

“Are you kidding me?” Shiro looked in disbelief. “He just turned into a wolf and he’s ripping those men apart; someone needs to stop him!” He looked to the wolf again, recognizing the markings, especially the left front leg. This was the same wolf that startled him back in the forest and that Keith left with. Pidge was that wolf? That was not something he expected. And judging by the reactions from the others, only Keith knew this.

“He snapped because he saw a friend get hurt just...” Keith looked. The threat was neutralized. Pidge was caked in blood. Worse than that, she was watching them warily. Her snarling grew aggressive when Shiro pushed Keith behind him.

“We don’t have time to argue, Keith; this is a dangerous situation!” Shiro exclaimed.

“I can help my brother.” Keith argued, not caring about Shiro’s concern. “Stay with the others, make sure the soldiers aren’t around.” He was certain they weren’t. Though previously surrounded, that meant nothing to a hostile wolf. Keith tossed his sword to the side and slowly approached Pidge.

“Hey, pup, I know you’re in there.” He spoke softly as he took slow and steady steps. He neared Pidge, pausing for a moment when she snarled at him with enough force, she sprayed blood and spittle at him. “I’m not going to hurt you. Neither are the others.” He reached his hand out towards Pidge, not even pulling back when she feigned snapping at it. Her teeth snapped shut over the fabric of his gloves, tearing into them, but she didn’t cut the skin. Her teeth were against his flesh, as though to remind him that she could rip his arm off right then and there.

“You’re hurting. I understand. You don’t like seeing your pack hurt.” Keith reminded. He got in closer before sitting on his knees. “But it’s okay. We’ll help Lance. He’ll recover; he’s tougher than he looks. And you protected the rest of us so well.”

Pidge blinked. Her expression softened and as she stopped growling. She then whimpered and looked around, realizing what happened. She backed away, her tail tucked between her legs.

“It’s okay, Pidge. It’s okay. You did what you had to when we were threatened.” Keith assured. He didn’t dare try to move closer; he didn’t want Pidge to get spooked. “Listen to me, Pidge, hear my voice. You did nothing wrong. You just protected your pack.”

Pidge looked back at Keith before directing her attention to the others. Shiro was on guard, both for more soldiers but also her. As she relaxed more, though, he settled down more and focused on the surroundings. Then there was Hunk. Stunned. Scared? Only of the bloodshed, she determined from his scent. Lance. Worry filled him, but she didn’t know what about. His injuries? Her aggressiveness? Then there was Allura. Startled but amazed. She only knew of shapeshifting from rumours of the old days. Seeing it in person was definitely unexpected. And Coran. His brows were knitted together in concern. Over Pidge hurting others and, if not cautious, them? No. For her. Sad that she was hurting and scared.

Pidge let out another whine as she came in closer to Keith, gently nosing him. She was calming down. And she was hurting. Hidden in the thick fur, she was bleeding. She had been so blind in her rage, she didn’t realize she got hurt; someone must have plunged their dagger or sword into her when she tackled them. Her body quaked as she started the shift to return to human, letting her bones pop and joints twist. As quickly as she could, no matter how uncomfortable it was, she transformed back into a human, her fur falling away and surrounding her lithe body. More than that, it revealed the injury she sustained.

Keith wished Pidge didn’t transform back in front of the others, her clothes being badly torn and showing that she was in fact a girl when she was back in her human form, but in the end he was glad she did. “Pidge!” He called out, taking hold of his sibling as she collapsed. His eyes widened when he saw the wound on her abdomen, realizing it wasn’t just bloody from her sudden transformation or from her rage-induced attack. The weapon wasn’t there, probably removed and resulting in more bleeding. More than that, though, the wound was already discoloured at the edges. The weapon had been laced in poison.

“Coran! Pidge needs help!” Keith cried out, looking back as tears fell down his face. He was concerned for his younger sibling.

Coran rushed over, checking on Pidge and her injury. “This is bad, and it’s in a more vital location.” Coran stated. “We need to get to safety first and then get Pidge and Lance treated.” He was gentle in pulling the mage from Keith’s arms, cradling her as carefully as possible.

“Kosmo, scout ahead, find shelter.” Keith ordered. With a snort and a dip of his head, Kosmo took off, searching for anything that could help. A village, an abandoned cabin, a cave, wherever they could hide and hunker down in. “I have some potions; they may not cure the poison, but they could help close the wound.” he told Coran.

“That’d be good.” Coran nodded. “Hunk! Collect some of the arrows; we’ll need them to figure out the poison and an antidote for it!”

“Right!” Hunk nodded, going around and gathering arrows.

Keith grabbed the healing potion he had and handed it over to Coran after opening it. The ginger haired man accepted it and cautiously applied it to Pidge’s wound, making her cry out at the sensation. “It’ll be okay, just give it a moment.” he assured softly. He watched as the wound closed some and the bleeding stopped, but Pidge wasn’t in the clear yet.

Keith looked when he heard Kosmo howl. “He’s found us a location.” he reported. “I can carry Pidge.”

Coran knew Keith was tense, but he didn’t want to say it. “We may need you to help if danger shows up again; don’t worry, I’ve got her.” he assured.

Keith was hesitant, but he nodded, thankful for that. He got up and went to where Lance was, the archer looking sore and exhausted, but surprisingly he was doing well. “You good to move? I know it must hurt...”

“Hurt… I’m a little numb in my arm, actually, so...” Lance chuckled a bit. “If anything, I just feel queasy.”

“We’ll get you feeling better soon, Lance.” Allura assured. She helped to support him as they got up. “We may be a bit slower; Pidge’s health is most important so you get… him to safety.” She could see Pidge wasn’t actually a boy, but she still used that pronoun for the time being. “We’ll catch up.”

“Right.” Keith nodded. “Hunk, you stay with Allura and Lance.”

“Right.” Hunk confirmed. He then handed over the arrows he gathered. “Take care of Pidge.”

“Always.” Keith smiled before he took off with Shiro and Coran, the three of them rushing to where Kosmo called for them. They were met by the wolf partway through the trip just as it started to rain. By the time the first crash of thunder echoed above them, they found an old shack, the place having been abandoned for years but otherwise was still standing and in tact. More than that, along with the forest surrounding it, it was shelter from the rain.

“There are old lanterns, they should be good to use, though.” Keith said once inside. He used his fire magic to light them, illuminating the open space.

“Good work.” Coran praised. “Shiro, lay your cloak on that table there.” Shiro did as instructed so Coran could lay Pidge down. He then went through his supplies, grabbing more potions and scrap fabric. As he did that, Shiro removed his tunic, laying it over Pidge’s lower regions to cover her; he followed suit with his undershirt, placing it over her chest. He kept the wound exposed for Coran to treat but didn’t feel she should be left there, fully exposed.

“Keith… I think it’s obvious but… your brother is a sister.” Shiro quickly stated. “What’s that about?”

Keith didn’t respond. He knew he couldn’t tell them who Pidge truly was; he had to keep that a secret. Instead, he went to Coran. “Do you think you can help Pidge?” he asked.

“Only time will tell.” Coran admitted. “The wound is bad and one to the gut, that’s even worse. And the poison...” He shook his head. He then collected the arrows sent with them. “If we’re lucky, Pidge’s natural magic will aid in the healing process. She does heal quickly, right?”

“She’s never been hurt this badly but… yeah.” Keith nodded.

“Then the chance is greater.” Coran hoped it would be enough, though. He checked on the arrows, scraping the poison off into a jar he had. He checked on it and compared it with different ingredients they had on them. “Hopefully I can fix up a potion to counteract the poison. That’s our biggest threat at the moment.” He checked what he had, adding dabs of the poison to some ingredients and mixtures. Even if he couldn’t fully get rid of the poison in Pidge’s system, helping a small bit was better than nothing.

Keith waited, sitting and observing between Pidge and Coran. He hoped for any sound, any sign, that something would go well. He had sent Kosmo out after a moment, having him go to the other part of the team and lead them to the shelter. When the door opened after a while, he was on guard, sword drawn.

“It’s just us, Keith.” Allura assured. She let Hunk take Lance over to a chair still there, getting him seated.

“How’s Lance?” Keith asked, looking over.

“Well… better.” Allura stated. Better as in recovering? Or better than Pidge’s condition?

“He’s doing rather well.” Hunk admitted. “Surprisingly.” He then looked over. “Um… Shiro? You’re kinda… shirtless.” Shiro motioned to Pidge and his clothes being on her. “Oh. Wow. I… um… I didn’t expect this. Either of these things, actually...” He watched Pidge, concern in his gaze. “Pidge’ll be fine… right?” Next to him, Lance made a small noise, just as worried for the mage’s well being.

“We’re trying.” Coran said. It was neither a denial nor confirmation; it was reliving but also worrying. He tested some things with one of Pidge’s already made potions. His eyes widened, light returning to them. “It may not cure the entire thing, but this may be what we need to give her the edge back so she can fight the traces of the poison that would remain!” This news made the others look hopeful.

Coran mixed part of the potion with some other ingredients. He then gently applied it to Pidge’s wound, causing her to whimper. “I know it hurts, my dear, but you need to be strong. You need to endure it.”

“Mama…” Pidge cried out softly. Keith went over and took Pidge’s hand.

“Mama’s not here, but I’m here, Pidge. Big brother is here.” Keith assured, gently squeezing his sibling’s hand. “I’m here. I’m not gonna leave you...”

“I’ll check periodically, but hopefully we’ll be in the clear with this.” Coran assured. He then went over to Lance, rolling up the younger man’s sleeve. He checked the wound, seeing that it still held traces of the poison, but significantly less than he expected. “Hmm… I’ll apply some of the ointment to help, but… I think you’re already clear and will recover well.”

“Huh?” Lance looked over and checked his arm. “Really? How?”

“Well… if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you held some magic in you. And since this was poison, I’d say a water element.” Coran informed.

“Wait… Lance is an elemental?!” Hunk exclaimed. He looked to his friend in shock, the other shrugging.

“Well, I did say before that it can skip one or even multiple generations.” Coran stated. “But elementals tend to heal a bit quicker than average and fire and water elementals are resistant to infection and poisons. He could be fire but… well, I’d bet my money on water.”

“So… does that mean I can use magic?” Lance inquired.

“It’s possible.” Coran started to apply the ointment to help with the healing process. “But if you want my advice, keep your heart open and feel for the elements. It may come to you.”

Lance nodded. “Yeah.” As amazing as it sounded that he could potentially use magic one day, it didn’t make him happy. He wouldn’t be happy until he knew for certain that Pidge would pull through and recover. Until then, he worried about her safety and how well her injury would heal.


	11. Still a Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though a prisoner in his own castle, Matt is still the prince. He'll be damned if he didn't stand his ground and help those in need, however minimal it seemed.

Matt looked at his reflection. Older. Taller. Stronger. But still a prisoner. He was imprisoned in his own home. No. It was not a home anymore. It was his prison. But he would rather it be a prison he could put himself in to protect his people than one surrounded by death. He looked over to see the crown sitting on the side table. Simple. Silver with a green gem. His sister had a nearly identical one.

His sister.

Katie.

There was no sign that anyone could find her. Weeks after her disappearance, Honerva had been frustrated. The mage knew Katie was alive, but none of her tracking spells could locate her. This was good news to the prince. This meant she was safe, or at least he hoped so. To some relief, it also meant that the kingdoms and their magic couldn’t be fully claimed.

He carefully picked up his crown and put it on his head. He may have been a prisoner, but he was still a prince. And by the gods, he would continue being so and making sure his people were safe. That was, after all, why he sent Shiro out to help. He had gotten word from Coran that he planned to meet up with Allura when she could escape and they would look for Katie; with that, he asked Shiro, a good friend and would-be knight, to help out, to go on his behalf.

Knights. Shiro would have been a knight, but Zarkon did his best to make sure no one of Matt’s kingdom properly trained and would be knighted. In the shadows, though, many who were loyal continued, doing what they could. Shiro was one of the best.

After checking himself in the mirror one last time, making sure he was presentable, he left his room. He may have been a prisoner, but he always made sure to dress properly and remind those who took over that the kingdom was his. He descended the stairs, greeting some of the staff that were allowed to continue living and working there. Yes, they had to help tend to some of the soldiers there, but they were proud to be there for their prince.

“Oh, my prince!” a cook exclaimed as Matt entered the kitchen. “Is there anything I may get for you?”

“Whatever is available and easy to eat.” Matt responded. “And a pitcher of water.”

“Of course, dear.” The cook nodded. She got what the prince requested and handed it over on a tray. “There you go, dear. Bless the ancients, he’s lucky have you.”

“The ancients know that Zarkon couldn’t care less; I’ll be damned if I let him be.” Matt smiled fondly before walking off with the tray. He went through the castle and then to the dungeons. Until Zarkon took over, they had rarely been used, the last time being in his great grandfather’s time as king. There was no need for them other than a good place to store kegs of alcohol. But when Zarkon took over, he imprisoned others there, especially members of the Marmora clan who had been captured. They were deemed to be greater threats to Zarkon. Especially Kolivan.

The other members were cared for better, given food and water. However, Kolivan was the leader and Zarkon wanted him broken; if anyone had needed knowledge for the spells Zarkon wanted or the names of other members, who Zarkon figured had the princess, it would be Kolivan himself. Nothing Matt could do was enough to protect Kolivan, not even threatening his own life. So, each day, the prince personally went down to give Marmora leader food and water, the staff forbidden by the tyrant to do so themselves; ancients be damned if they tried to stop Matt.

“Hey, Kolivan.” Matt greeted, entering the cell Kolivan was kept in. Away from the others, dark, damp, it was not ideal. “Shall I light the lantern?”

“Please do so.” Kolivan responded. Though tired, voice sounded healthy, sign enough that Matt had been doing well in caring for him. Matt did as he said and the small chamber was bathed in warm and welcoming light. Kolivan himself did not look as welcoming. He was disheveled and scarred, having seen better days. His arms were bound, each one pulled out to the side and chained to the walls. His ankles were shackled to the floor and he had been forced to sit on his knees. The only times he was not kept in this position was when he would be moved to be interrogated. As bad as it all was, there was hope and life that still shone in his eyes. “It smells like soup.”

“Fresh, too.” Matt informed. “I wish I had the key to let you down… to let you rest...”

Kolivan shook his head. “Do not worry about that; I am just grateful you came to see me.”

Matt smiled sadly. He would always go to Kolivan and look after him, making sure to go down at least once a day; sometimes he could get away and go more times. He then sat on his knees with the tray. “Food or water first?”

“I would appreciate a sip of water.” Kolivan admitted. He was humble and polite with the prince; had Zarkon’s men been the ones to offer, he would not show such a side and be as firm and stubborn as he could be; of course, those soldiers were more cruel about it while Matt was godsend.

Matt poured some water into a cup and brought it up to Kolivan’s lips, letting him go at his pace to make sure he didn’t choke on it. When Kolivan finished, content with his first drink, Matt proceeded to feed him. Hands bound, he couldn’t feed himself properly and the prince was not going to let Kolivan feel desperate enough to have to stick his face into a bowl and eat out of it like some sort of animal. He may have been a prince, but he was proud to feed someone in need like a parent with their child. He had been taught by his mother long ago that ruling a kingdom was more than just leading the people, that it was also caring for them as though they were your flesh and blood, from the smallest baby to the wisest elder.

Matt went at Kolivan’s pace, letting him take his time to eat and savour the food. When finished, Matt sat back on the ground. “I wish there are more I could do to help.”

“You already do so much.” Kolivan assured. “Because of your own sacrifices, so many lives have been spared.”

Matt sighed. Kolivan was right, but he still couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t enough. If he could do more, then Kolivan and the others of his clan wouldn’t be imprisoned. If he could do more, he wouldn’t be as worried about the guards who could work in the shadows, creating their own rebellion. If he could do more, he wouldn’t be worried about Iverson out there, doing his best to keep his soldiers alive, help train recruits, and working to stay alive and under Zarkon’s gaze.

But he was thankful. At least those who could be rebels and working to one day take back the kingdom were doing their best and being strong. To some degree, Matt was able to protect them by being a prisoner. With him there, Zarkon could not do as much to end the rebels for in causing too much physical harm to the prince’s people, Matt was ready to ensure the tyrant would never get that magic.

“You best be going.” Kolivan responded. “A damp place like this...”

“When I can,” Matt spoke up, “I’ll find a way to get you and the others out.” He stood up and gently hugged the clan leader. “Until then, be strong.”

“Knowing you are safe and the kindness you show me gives me all the strength I need.” Kolivan assured.

Matt smiled fondly. He gathered up the tray and dishes and departed, his heart aching as he left Kolivan there, but the leader understood. There was, at the moment, nothing Matt could do to free the Marmora clan members.

Or at least the ones who were found out to be members.

Matt returned to the main level of the castle, taking in a deep breath of the air there. He had no idea how the clan members could handle being in the dark cells, some of them being damp. His lungs burned from it, but the others stayed strong.

“Prince Matt.” Matt looked to see a Daibazaal soldier, his armor a tell tale sign of who he was. However, he was not who he appeared to be. His name was _Thace_ and he was a spy within Zarkon’s ranks and soldiers, hiding in plain sight. Clever. “There’s still no sign of Princess Katie, both in the eyes of Marmora and, thankfully, in the eyes of Zarkon and Honerva.”

“That is better than it could be.” Matt responded, meaning about Zarkon not knowing where Katie was. “And of Shiro?”

“We have news that he made contact with Princess Allura who had successfully escaped.” Thace reported. “But we worry that Sendak is in pursuit.”

Sendak. A pain in the ass. Matt didn’t feel sorry for that bastard one bit. Katie claiming his eye and arm was a grand move, even if she had only been five years old.

“Hopefully they can evade him.” Matt nodded. “And of Lotor?”

“Prince Lotor and Bandor are still looking for the spells needed; they intend on coming to Gaia in hopes there is something.”

Matt nodded again. “Hopefully they can find what is needed… if we’re to protect the kingdoms...” He trailed off. They needed to strip the magic and connection from Zarkon, giving them to his son, Lotor. So long as Zarkon was still bound to his kingdom’s magic, he was a threat. “Is that it?”

“There’s been rumours of a mage further south.” Thace added. “That is where Princess Allura and her company are headed; they hope the mage could help them find your sister.”

“I hope so, too.” But Matt had his doubts. If Honerva, a powerful mage herself, couldn’t find Katie, then how could this other mage? Well, he had some hope that the plan would work. “Thank you for the update. What of the rebels?”

“They’re holding strong. But it’s only a matter of time before Zarkon decides to wage full on battles against them...”

Matt knew that would be bad. If Zarkon did that, even threatening his own safety wouldn’t stop it. “May the ancestors protect them…” he whispered. “Is that all?”

“For now, yes sir.” Thace confirmed. “Be strong, my prince. There is still hope.”

“Indeed.” Matt smiled. He then walked away before anyone could see them stopped and speaking in hushed voices. He went about his day as usual, acting as though nothing changed. He then returned to his room at the end of the day and took to watching the sky.

“I may be a prisoner here,” he said, “but I’d rather be that than rule over a kingdom of death.” He carefully removed his crown and set it on the nearby table and next to a book. The last book he read with his sister. He traced his fingers over the cover. “Maybe that mage, whoever they are, could help. I sure hope so...”


	12. Part of the Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pack isn't always members who are blood. After a frightful sleep, Coran knows just how to comfort Pidge while she recovers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Some mentions of nudity, but it doesn't go into actual detail. And probably frightful themes. It's a stressful time for our girl, so...  
> Enjoy!

__

_Bright glowing eyes stared at her. Hunger. A desire to consume every bit of her essence. She felt the fear as darkness closed in, isolating her with the beast. With_ _in_ _herself._

_“Stop… stop it. We’re not this… I’m not this!”_

_**“This is who you are. A beast in human flesh. A monster. Live up to your nature. Fight. Kill. Consume. It is in your nature!”** _

_“I was just trying to_ _protect_ _my friends. They were in trouble. One even got hurt!”_

_**“Admit** _ _**it** _ _**, you enjoy the feeling of crushing bones between your teeth. Ripping through flesh and tearing those miserable bastards limb from limb. This is who you are and you cannot deny it.”** _

_“It’s not… it’s not...”_

_But the beast did not listen. It lunged at her, maw open wide, ready to crush her skull between those crimson stained fangs._

Pidge sat up, hand to her chest as she breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath and settle down. The only thing that stopped her from thinking of that horrifying nightmare was the pain she felt in her abdomen. She let out a whimper as she laid back, hands moving to cover the bandages over her. She stared up at the ceiling, her mind yet to comprehend that it was unfamiliar. Her memory felt foggy. What happened?

“Ugh… where’s… Keith? And Mama?” she grumbled, a snarl in her throat as she tried to look around. A sniff of the air told her that at least Keith and even Kosmo were outside. Grumbling in discomfort, she got up and off the table she was laying on, not even caring that the cloak and too big of a shirt that were over her fell to the floor in a heap, leaving her almost as bare as the day she was born; the only thing covering her were the bandages around her midsection. She stumbled her way to the door, following Keith’s scent. She pushed it open and slipped out.

“Keith?” she asked, looking around for him.

“Pidge! You’re up!” Keith exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

“Holy crow! And very… um...” Hunk was quick to cover his eyes. Shiro simply turned away and closed his eyes.

Lance stared for a few seconds, not that he meant to. He was stunned. Seeing his crush, who for so long he thought was a boy, naked as could be? Sure, he found out the previous night that Pidge was a girl, but it still shocked him. Realizing he was staring, he quickly covered his flushed face and squeezed his eyes tight, squeaking out an apology as he did so.

“Oh, goodness me!” Coran was quick to rush over, his own cloak being removed and wrapped around Pidge. “Good gracious, dear, you shouldn’t be up yet. Step out for a moment of air and you wake up all alone.” He helped Pidge to sit down so she didn’t worsen her healing injury. “There. Let’s sit, rest, and try not to make this wound worse. It’s healing well on its own and with potions, but it’s still not fully healed.”

“Huh?” Pidge looked around. People. Familiar faces. It came back to her. They were traveling together. A quest. “What… what happened? Oh no… they…”

“They saw… both the wolf and the girl...” Keith sighed. “What do you recall?”

Pidge grumbled a bit, trying to think of what happened. “I remember… an ambush. Surrounded. Lance got hurt… and… the taste of blood.” She covered her mouth, looking ready to be sick. “How bad? How bad was it?”

Keith sighed. He knew better than to sugarcoat it for his sibling. “Know that you did what your instincts told you to do to prote-”

“My instincts?!” Pidge snarled, her eyes actually changing to her wolf-eyes with the sudden outburst of emotion. “I fucking killed people! With claws and fangs!”

“Only because they hurt someone in our group!” Keith snapped.

“Keith, you don’t need to-” Coran tried to reprimand the older boy for yelling at Pidge, but he stopped, realizing that Pidge actually calmed down and her eyes returned to normal. As strange as it was, she responded well to Keith getting after us, like one wolf snapping at another to keep them in line. He then sighed. “But he is right. You protected others. Lance had gotten hurt. As bad as it was, many more would have gotten hurt.” he assured. He put his arms around Pidge in a comforting embrace, one that reminded her of her mother hugging her closely to calm her down. “You killed to protect your pack. It wasn’t for sport or fun, it was to defend others.” He felt it was best to phrase it that way; she was, after all, a wolf.

“Is Lance...” Pidge looked over to where Lance was, his face hidden. He looked well. She let out a sigh of relief as she snuggled into Coran’s hold.

“Don’t fret much,” Allura assured as she knelt in front of Pidge, “Lance is fine now. He’s recovering well.”

“That’s good.” Pidge nodded. She then grumbled. “My clothes…”

“Yes, that… sudden shift in form and size destroyed them.” Allura admitted. “But nothing locating a town and spending some money couldn’t remedy. While you were resting, Shiro and Hunk located a town and bought you a new set of clothes and boots; your cloak, though, was fine and just needed some stitches to fix.”

“I hope no one decided to get me a dress...”

“No, trousers, a vest, and a tunic; easy to wear and move in.” Allura chuckled a bit. “Anyway, how about we get you dressed, hmm? And then get some food in you? Hunk’s been working on a stew.”

“Hmm, that must be what smells so good.” Pidge hummed a bit, smiling at the thought of Hunk’s cooking. While she wasn’t opposed to bland food or fresh prey, anything Hunk fixed was always welcomed by her tongue and stomach. “I’d rather eat right now. I feel like I’ve not eaten in a moon.”

“Magic can do that.” Coran informed, amused by Pidge’s response. “Let’s at least get trousers on you and check your bandages, hmm?” Keeping the cloak firmly in place, he scooped Pidge up, pleased to know she didn’t fuss. If anything, she just leaned in; he figured the mage was exhausted from everything.

“Do you need my assistance, Coran?” Allura questioned.

“No worries, my dear, I can handle this.” Coran assured. “Hunk, get a bowl ready for Pidge.” He then went back inside and set Pidge on the table. He first checked her injury. “Thankfully it healed quite a bit, your magic aiding you well alongside the potions. But it’s still got some healing to do; by the next dawn, you should be healed up, so the following day we’d be fine to travel.”

“I can travel tomorrow.”

“Magic can drain someone, even mages aren’t exempt from this.” Coran got new bandages and put on some basic ointment to stave off infection. He then wrapped them around the mage, even going to cover her chest so she didn’t have to wear a tunic and let it rub the bandages. “Plus, even the others are settling down a bit, regaining themselves. It’s good to rest now and again.”

“Fine.” Pidge got her trousers back on with Coran’s assistance. She realized he had a point and that she could use some rest. “Maybe I should sleep after I eat...”

“Ah, a wonderful idea.” Coran declared as he let Pidge hold into him for support. “I’m sure your mother has told you before, but sleep is the best medicine. Helped a lot. Even was the perfect cure for a fussy child.” He got Pidge to the door and outside where she sat down and eagerly ate.

Though excited to eat and fill her stomach, Pidge’s mind was on that nightmare that startled her awake. She had, more often than not, been wary of her inner wolf, not letting herself be consumed by the taste of blood, but that was the first time it startled her. She felt the nightmare gnawing at the back of her mind and upon her soul, like a starved wolf chewing on a bone and threatening to break it into splinters.

But as much as it bothered her, she didn’t feel like talking about it, not even to Keith or Kosmo.

“So,” Hunk was the one to break the silence, making Pidge stop as she shoveled more food into her mouth and realize she was actually snarling a bit as she ate, “you can transform into a wolf?” He held his hand out for Pidge’s nearly empty bowl, refilling it with stew when she handed it over. “I guess shapeshifters actually do exist. But to think, you were the guardian wolf all this time...”

“Not like I planned on being the _guardian wolf_. It’s just what others called me when they saw that form and the size I got.” Pidge explained, shoving more food into her mouth.

“Goodness, Pidge, settle down in eating, the food isn’t going to run away.” Allura chastised, not at all impressed with the mage’s lack of manners.

“Chase your tail, princess.” Pidge grumbled. The others felt that may have been Pidge’s way of telling Allura to _mind her own business_.

“Goodness, you’re a young lady, but you act like some feral child raised by wolves.” Allura reminded, arms crossed over her chest.

“Um… Allura?” Keith asked. “We pretty much were. The wolves helped Mom raise us.”

“Oh...”

“Is that why you took on the wolf form?” Lance spoke up, curious about Pidge’s form.

“Just seemed… right, I guess.” Pidge shrugged. She honestly couldn’t explain it. Perhaps she was influenced by the pack, but being a wolf, when she one day found she could transform, it felt natural. Walking on four paws, wagging a tail, and following scent trails, it felt normal to her.

“Can you transform into other animals? Or things? Or even people?” Hunk asked, looking curious. Pidge was confused and actually tipped her head to the side. Even she didn’t know.

“Now, I’m no expert, but in the old legends I’ve read, shapeshifters can only take on animal forms.” Coran explained. “Looking like other people, that’s a cloaking or chameleon magic, and objects… transfiguration, but that’s difficult with living beings. And dangerous for their well-being.” He waved it off. “Now, this is my first time meeting someone with that magic, but rumours and stories told of shapeshifters being able to take on the forms of different animals, though some do better with certain ones or have preferred ones.”

Pidge listened to Coran, interested in his words. She didn’t know much about herself as a shapeshifter, only what she could learn from Krolia or from books she could get her hands on. More than that, listening to him helped a bit to take her mind off of what she felt deep inside.

Of course, it would only last so long. When nightfall came around once more and Pidge retired for the night, her rest was anything by tranquil. Like a pup, she whimpered and kicked in her sleep, the sound surprisingly not disturbing most of the others as they slept. The only ones who took notice were Keith, being her brother, and Coran, being perceptive.

Like before, Pidge woke with a fright, sitting up. Thankfully she didn’t feel as much pain, but her heart still pounded, as though she had been running through the forest. Grumbling, Pidge got up and sneaked out of the cabin. Kosmo, who was sleeping outside, heard her. With a whimper, he followed after the girl as she found a spot further from the cabin to sit and catch her breath.

Coran had assured Keith that he could handle things and help Pidge settle down. Agreeing, he allowed the mustached man to go after Pidge. “Pidge? Goodness, you must’ve had a frightful sleep.”

“I wasn’t scared.” Pidge denied.

“Your ears and tail say otherwise.”

Pidge felt her head, eyes widening in shock. She then looked back, seeing her tail sticking out. “By the moon!” She grabbed her tail and tried to smooth its fur out while muttering for it to go back. She hadn’t had something like that happen in years and it threw her off.

Coran chuckled a bit. He honestly didn’t expect Pidge to still look human and have her wolf features show up, but it was rather adorable. Her reaction to them was amusing, too, and told him that she knew that could happen. “Mind if I join you?” he asked, stepping over.

“Go ahead, I don’t command what people do in a forest.” Pidge muttered, scooting a bit.

Coran sat down. “You’re stressed. And it’s just a guess, but I think it’s about how you reacted when Lance got hurt.” he informed. It seemed insensitive to bring that up, but he felt it was best. “I bet it even scares you.”

Pidge sighed. “Before I woke earlier today, I had a bad dream.” she admitted. “Of my inner wolf… telling me that I enjoyed what I did… but I didn’t… I didn’t enjoy it… wolves aren’t meant to kill for sport… we hunt and kill for food and to protect our pack...” She didn’t expect to get emotional as she started crying. The tears fell down her face as her voice increased in volume a bit.

“There’s an old saying a good friend used to tell me.” Coran pulled Pidge over and onto his lap, smiling when she didn’t fight the action and just snuggled in. “That inside us, we have two wolves. A wolf of light and a wolf of dark. Only one can be in charge, though. Do you know who?” Pidge simply whimpered. “The one we feed and make stronger. Clearly the wolf you saw in your dream was one of dark, but you cannot let that wolf be the alpha. You must remind it that you’re the one in charge.”

Pidge nodded. “Thanks, Coran.” She meant it. Coran made a good point and with the comparison to wolves, it was easy to understand. “You always seem to have some form of wisdom to say when needed. How’d you get to be so bright?”

The older of the two smiled. “Well, some of it comes from experience.” Coran admitted. “I’ve raised children you know. Or at least in part. I helped look after Allura before this all happened. And her cousins, Bandor and Romelle.” He smiled fondly at the memories of looking after children. “I even had experience looking after Prince Lotor, Prince Matt, and even Princess Katie when the royal families would get together. More than that, though… I even had my own son I was raising.”

Pidge didn’t miss that word. _Had._ “What happened?” she asked, looking up like the curious pup she was.

“Ten years ago, Zarkon had his army invade while the others were distracted with Queen Melenor’s condition…” Coran explained. “When they attacked, Alfor had my wife, Raiza, and I escape with our son, Roland, and Allura, hoping to get to safety. He felt we could protect and raise the princess, keep her safe from Zarkon’s forces...” He closed his eyes and imagined his wife and child. His beautiful and patient wife and his playful and curious son. He missed them dearly. “But we were caught. Raiza and Roland were killed on sight… I was injured and Allura was taken prisoner.” He gently ran a hand through Pidge’s hair, feeling how soft it was and to scratch around her ears, the sensation being pleasant to the shapeshifter. “I think you two would’ve gotten along, you and Roland. He was as curious as you show to be.” He smiled. “I miss my family so much, but I’ve managed to keep strong. And it almost feels like I got a part of it back in meeting you.”

Coran hugged Pidge more, smiling when she tried her best to do the same in her position. “He’d be about your age if he had survived. Perhaps with that, it’s just me projecting onto you, but...”

“You can see me as family if you’d like.” Pidge commented. “Not all wolves in the pack are blood and many look after each other.” She snuggled in more. “I see you as part of my pack. Like that kind and wise uncle who supports others.”

“Thank you, Pidge.” Coran nuzzled his face into the girl’s messy hair. “That means a lot.” He then looked to Kosmo, seeing him resting his head upon his paws. “How about we sit a bit longer, listen to the forest, before we head back to the cabin and sleep, hmm?”

“That sounds,” Pidge stopped to yawn, her mouth wide, “nice.” She snuggled in as much as possible, comforted by Coran. What she learned was sad, but she found that Coran did so well to be strong. He accepted his sadness, he accepted the nature of things, but he still moved on, he still protected the pack. And she happily accepted him into her pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coran having had a wife and child come from my researching of other Voltron versions, including GoLion. I can't recall if I used the GoLion names or DotU names for them, but there is that reference.  
> Also, no matter the AU, you can bet when Pidge and Coran interact, I'm going to give them a positive, familial-like bond. It's too pure and should happen whenever possible.


	13. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honerva is in the kingdom of Daibazaal and plotting. Meanwhile, Keith makes the choice to trust Lance even further.

“Sendak,” Honerva looked into a mirror, the surface frosted over at the edges in an eerie purple coating; instead of her own reflection, she was looking at the face of Sendak, “have you located the princess yet?”

**“My apologies, your majesty.”** Sendak responded. **“But Allura keeps giving us the slip. We aren’t giving up, though.”**

“Do you have any ideas on where she’s heading?”

**“That’s would be a negative.”** the commander admitted. **“All we know is that she appears to be heading in the direction of the Altean border, but too much lies between us and there, so it is impossible at the moment to say what her plan is. However, we are certain she has grown her group, no longer traveling with just two people.”**

“What can you tell me about them?”

**“Two** **for certain** **have magic. One is a fire elemental and the other, though young, is a presumed mage. I’ve not personally faced them.”** Sendak reported. **“The others, one is an archer of exceptional skill in the short amount I’ve dealt with him. The other is a powerful fighter wielding a sort of ax; his weapon seemed heavier than usual, it could either be enchanted or he also has magic in him.”**

“A mage...” Honerva pondered it before. “The princess may thinking to use the mage to locate Princess Katie.”

**“Those are my thoughts as well.”** Sendak nodded. **“Another thing, I managed to take a hostage. The mother to the elemental and mage, it seems. She may be of use.”**

“Good. Have her taken to the kingdom of Gaia; we will find out what she knows.” Honerva ordered. “If you can ensure this, have someone deliver her and you continue the pursuit.”

**“Of course, your majesty.”**

Honerva swiped her hand across the mirror, ending the spell. When she was met with her own reflection, she turned away and walked off, heading to where Zarkon was. There, she saw her husband sitting in his throne, the man leaning forward, his head resting in his hand. He appeared to be deep in thought.

“My love.”

“What news?” Zarkon simply inquired. “Has Sendak completed his mission?”

“Not yet, but in time. You must be patient.” Honerva reminded. She went over and sat in the throne next to his, gently resting her hand upon her husband’s that sat on the armrest of his throne.

“Patient? I have been patient. For ten years.” He yanked his hand away from Honerva’s and stood up. “Ten fucking years! I have waited! And it was ruined by one little brat! And magic… your magic… never found her…” He took a deep breath and sat back down. “If she is dead...”

“I am certain she lives. But she is… elusive.” Honerva admitted. “And she may have allies aiding her.” She settled her hand back over her husband’s. “Allura is seeking the princess, too. And she has crossed paths with another mage. Perhaps that mage is able to find her.”

“When you can’t?”

“Every mage differs, my love.” she reminded. “Colleen and I were very different from one another. This other mage will differ, too.”

“Is Sendak able to collect the mage?”

“I don’t know. But I will.” Honerva smiled softly. “If you do not mind. I can also join the pursuit of Allura and her companions and get that mage. And they won’t even know it’s me.”

Zarkon gently turned his hand, taking hold of Honerva’s so gently. He gave it a soft kiss. “Be safe out there. I do not wish to lose you.”

“Of course. And take care of yourself in my absence.” Honerva got up and gently kissed her husband. “I will send word of my progress.”

“So how do I know if I can use magic?” Lance asked, holding his hands over a stream, water settled in his palms. “I mean… I don’t really feel anything right now. Except wet.”

“Lance, now isn’t the time.” Shiro sighed. “Now c’mon. Help with setting up camp.”

Lance sighed and dropped the water. He got up and went to the others, helping to set things up while Pidge worked on a potion to surround their campsite with and keep them safe. “Like, how do I know I am capable? Do I just feel it? Does it just happen?” He looked to Keith. “How did you know you were an elemental?”

“I set the house on fire.” Keith responded. Everyone except for Pidge froze and looked over. “I was young and I sneezed! It was an accident.”

“There’s still a burnt section of wall on the first floor.” Pidge spoke up, not even looking away from her work.

“Every elemental finds out in different ways according to Mom.” Keith continued on as he skinned the deer he hunted earlier. “Some are more… destructive, some startling, some mellow. It just… happens.”

“Magic is indeed like that.” Coran admitted. “Don’t worry, Lance, I’m sure you’ll feel it in time.”

“I hope so; I think it’d be cool to use magic.” At least with magic, he could do more to help the team, he hoped. Help Pidge. He knew she was capable of protecting herself, but he wanted to help as well. He cared for her. And it was quite obvious to everyone in the group.   
Except for Pidge.

As bright and clever as the mage was, she wasn’t that intelligent when it came to human interactions and emotions. But Lance wasn’t pouting about it. He was, however, quick to cover his eyes when Pidge decided to stand up and start dressing down.

“Goodness! Pidge!”Allura was quick to go over and pull Pidge’s cloak back up on her. “What are you doing?!”

“Um… changing?” Pidge responded, confused by Allura’s reaction. “My skin itches. I need my fur back for a bit.”

Allura sputtered a bit before looking to Keith. “Keith!”

“It’s what she does. And since you guys are now aware...” Keith shrugged his shoulders, not seeing the issue. They not only knew Pidge was a girl but also a wolf, he saw no problems.

“You two are just a couple of wild children...” Allura sighed.

“Though Pidge, hold off until after food is done. You always eat more as a wolf than a human. And you eat a lot as a human to begin with.” Keith reminded his sister.

“Then I’ll hunt.” Pidge smiled. “I haven’t actually hunted since this quest began.”

“Wait… hunt?” Hunk gulped. “As in you… um...”

“Hello. Wolf.” Pidge pointed to herself. “So… can I please continue?”

Allura sighed. “Over here; we don’t need you stripping down in front of the boys.”

“Yeah, well, they’ve seen me naked before. I don’t wear clothes as a wolf.”

“That’s beside the point.” Allura pushed Pidge away from the campsite and hung up her and the mage’s cloaks from branches.

Pidge sighed. Sure, she was used to changing in the forest, but the modesty of humans never made sense. Shrugging, she finished discarding her clothes and started the transformation. Transforming of her own will and at a gentler pace, it definitely felt good.

When Pidge grumbled in response to the transformation, Allura dared to take a peek, hoping the mage was okay. She watched as Pidge’s joints twisted and her muscles rippled. It looked so painful that the princess nearly cried. When the transformation was complete, Pidge looked over.

“That magic… to change… it must hurt.” Allura admitted.

Pidge went over and nosed the princess. She knew that the other couldn’t understand her, but she hoped to convey that it was fine. In fact, it was a wonderful sensation.

“But you don’t act like there’s pain...” Allura ran her fingers through Pidge’s fur. “Being able to transform like this...” She smiled. “I’m heading back to the camp. I assume you’re going to hunt?”

Pidge gave a nod. She looked past Allura where Kosmo was, the wolf having followed them. With a snarl, she bounded off, her companion chasing after.

Allura watched until they disappeared in the trees, the two going to find their meal for the night. She collected the cloaks and clothes before returning to camp. “Keith… does Pidge… feel pain when she transforms?”

Keith was handing over sections of meat from the kill he made to Hunk, letting the other work to prepare it for cooking. “Only if she goes too quickly.” he said. “If she takes it at her usual pace, it looks painful, but according to her, it’s a good feeling. She feels comforted by it.”

“So the other night when it was so sudden...” Allura trailed off.

“Her emotions probably numbed the pain… but she still probably felt it.” Keith responded.

Emotions. Emotions she felt when Lance got hurt. Subconsciously, Lance put his hand over where the wound was. The poison was gone and the injury was healing nicely, but he still thought of that night.

As startling as that night was, finding out Pidge was the giant wolf, he was more worried about how she felt. She must have been so scared and suffering. And knowing that, it pained Lance more than that arrow had.

“Lance, my boy? Is something the matter?” Coran asked, noticing a change in the archer’s attitude. “You’re worried about Pidge, aren’t you?”

“Oh… it’s um… it’s nothing.” Lance admitted. He then got up. “I’m going to check along the stream, find a nice, clear spot to fill the water pouches.” He grabbed up those items and went off to do as he said he would.

“Lance is bothered by something.” Hunk stated.

“You cook the food, I’ll go check on him.” Keith informed as he got up. “If Pidge and Kosmo come back with their prey and it’s not torn up, call me back; I’d like it skinned if possible.” He then went after Lance, finding him outside their safety zone for the camp and filling the water pouches. “It must’ve been startling to find out Pidge is a giant wolf, huh?” he asked. He went over and sat down at the side of the stream.

“I was more startled at being shot.” Lance mumbled. “But Pidge… she must’ve been scared...”

Keith smiled softly. Lance was more worried about how Pidge felt than anything. To be expected of him.

“And you… I was out of it with the poison but… Pidge had to have been upset. Scared. Angry? But… it had to hurt in the end...” Lance was in pain during that time, having just been shot and the poison entering him, but when he thought about it afterwards, it hurt. To know Pidge had been hurting and he couldn’t do anything about it, to help her, it hurt. “I wished there was more I could do...”

“You’d have probably been bitten.” Keith stated. “Pidge, for that moment, lost her humanity. She was a scared wolf and acted on instinct. It rarely happens… but… we’ve been able to get through to her.” He reached up and removed his necklace. He held the pendent in his hand. “Pidge wears the matching one. Mom used to wear this… and she passed it down to me. She had made the necklaces long ago so that she could protect Pidge, tell when something was off and she was in danger.”

“That’s amazing.” Lance admitted.

“It is.” Keith shifted and put the chain over Lance’s head, getting him to wear it. This caused the archer to stare in shock. “And I want you to wear it.”

“What? But you’re Pidge’s brother!”

“And I will always be her brother. But you… you’re in love with her.” Keith reminded. “I think it’s appropriate that you wear this. With it, you may be able to help Pidge more if we run into more problems.” He honestly feared that they would. It was, after all, only a matter of time until the others end up finding out that Pidge was the missing princess. With that, Pidge would be in more danger. “I’m trusting Pidge to you.”

Lance looked at the necklace, checking over the pendent. “I don’t even know if she likes me.”

“She can be oblivious at times. As intelligent as she is...”

Lance snorted a bit. Despite not knowing if Pidge likes him or even is interested in love, he still wanted to protect her. “Thank you, Keith.” he said. “This means a lot. And I’ll do my best to protect Pidge. And try not to piss her off while doing so. She is, after all, more capable than some probably assume.” He resumed his work on refilling the pouches before glancing over. “We don’t have to hug and tell people we had a bonding moment, do we?”

“Do you want Pidge and Hunk to relentlessly tease us?”

“True.” Lance started snickering which eventually got Keith to join in. When he finished with the water, they returned to camp. When they returned, Lance thought about the necklace and how it was meant to protect Pidge. He didn’t fully know how that worked or why her mother had that set up, but he didn’t question it much. Instead, he was thankful that Keith trusted him with the necklace and to help look after Pidge. That was a good sign and bit of acceptance from one of the most important people in Pidge’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having fun with the comment of Lance and Keith having a bonding moment. You know I couldn't resist.   
> Also, despite being antagonists, I like the idea of Zarkon and Honerva being in love and caring for one another. It's so cute!  
> Anyway! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Until next time!


	14. Human Interaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though human herself, Pidge struggled to understand just how humans worked. She was raised by the forest, in the forest, and for the forest. Humans were strange for her.

Pidge didn’t understand human emotions one bit. Humans were tricky creatures and did not always act according to nature. So when she was met with a strange sort of agitation when she watched Lance converse with a young woman in a shop, trying to bargain with her in getting some supplies while selling the furs from the prey they’ve hunted along the way, she didn’t know what to make of it. More than that, she didn’t know how else to react other than to start growling.

Kosmo looked over and nudged her, getting the mage’s attention. Pidge silenced her snarling and tightened her lips. She never recalled having that problem around others, typically she did well to not give any indication to her lupine nature. When she did, she knowingly did so and in the comfort of her own home and only with her mother and brother. This time was different and she didn’t understand why.

“It’s not like I get that way when the others talk with people and show to be friendly.” she muttered to the wolf. “So why Lance?”

Kosmo made a small whining noise before gently nudging her again. As bright as she was, Kosmo knew she had moments where she wasn’t all that smart. Especially when it came to emotions and humans.

“My, oh my,” Pidge looked over when she got the feeling someone was talking to her, “now that is a magnificent looking wolf. The sleek fur and that hue. You don’t see wolves like that around here.”

Pidge already got the idea that this guy, whoever he was, was trouble. He did not leave a good feeling in her gut and judging by the way that Kosmo grumbled, he didn’t leave one with him, either.

“A fur that grand would make a beautiful cloak. How much are you willing to part with it for?”

“What?” Pidge asked, that snarl nearly returning again. “HE,” she added emphasis to that, “is not for sale.”

“Come now, reconsider, please?” the man inquired. “I know. Ten gold pieces. Now that surely is a good amount to get by on. Oh, fifteen perhaps?”

“I said no! So back off!” Pidge snapped.

“Pidge?” Pidge let out a sigh of relief and ran over to Keith as he approached. Kosmo was right with her as they both seemed to hide behind the hunter. “What’s going on?”

“This guy only wants Kosmo for his fur...” Pidge all but growled.

“I was merely making an offer.” the man said.

“Well, he’s our friend and he’s not for sale. Especially to someone who only wants him for his fur.” Keith stated. “So leave us alone.” He turned and nudged Pidge away and over to where Allura was with Coran, the two checking over a map while Hunk, Lance, and Shiro collected supplies.

“Is all okay?” Allura inquired.

“Humans. This is why I prefer staying in the forest.” Pidge grumbled.

Allura blinked in confusion. “People only want animals for their fur at times, even Kosmo here.” Keith reached down and scratched around Kosmo’s ears. “But that’s not how Pidge and I were raised. We were raised in the way of the forest. Every death has a meaning, whether it is in protection or to eat. Either way, it is for survival.” He looked over at Pidge, seeing her fidget some. “Anyway, we’re heading back to the forest. We need to find an area to make camp still.”

“But why?” Allura inquired. “There’s an inn here and surely they won’t mind Kosmo staying with us in our rooms.”

“Funds aren’t always easy to come by and we’re better off staying out of towns as much as possible anyway.” Keith stated. “Besides, if the soldiers discover you here, it could spell trouble for the townsfolk.” Allura pouted a bit, but didn’t otherwise respond other than her slow nod. “Good. Pidge and I will scope out an area to camp at.” He nudged the mage, getting her to move ahead of him. “Return to the forest as soon as the others are done.”

Pidge walked with Keith and Kosmo out of the town. She took quick glances around, wondering where Lance went off to. She made a small huff when she didn’t see him and instead tried to focus on walking with Keith. She stopped, though, as a scent caught her nose. It almost smelled familiar to her. She wasn’t quite sure why the scent was familiar, only that it was and it did not give her a good feeling.

Pidge looked around, trying to figure out just where the scent came from. She stopped when her eyes settled on the roof of a bakery, seeing a sort of black and orange cat. It smelled too familiar even though it didn’t look like something Pidge had seen before. Instinct kicked in and she started snarling.

“Pidge?” Keith looked over. “Hey, that’s enough. You don’t want to attract attention.” This got the mage to stop. “What’s wrong? Soldiers?”

Pidge sniffed. “No, I don’t smell them. Just… something smelled… off.” she admitted.

“Do you know what?” Pidge shrugged at Keith’s question. “Okay, well… try not to snarl out loud in this form; that can cause problems.” He continued walking. “How about you shift once we’re in the clear? Will that make you feel better?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Pidge felt his skin tingle, as though her inner wolf could burst free at any moment and take to playing in the forest and rolling in the dirt. “Play around. Hunt a bit.”

“Just don’t tear into the pelt too much; pelts from your prey means we can resupply in the times we go to a town.” Keith chuckled, ruffling Pidge’s hair some.

“Hmm.” Lance looked to see a small booklet. He picked it up and glanced it over, seeing lists of ingredients and what to do with them. In most shops, he would have disregarded the object, finding it to be a con. But this shop was, according to Coran who joined them, a legit magic shop, perfect to collect ingredients, charms, and enchanted items.

“Do you cast spells?” a young woman asked.

“I don’t but my… um… friend does.” Lance blushed a bit. Friend. He wished that he and Pidge were more, but he didn’t want to risk their friendship by trying to openly pursue her. Plus, they were on a rather dangerous quest; he figured they didn’t have much time for courting. “She’s training with it.” Training? Well, yes, but he wasn’t going to call her out as a mage; he didn’t want to throw Pidge under the cart like that.

“She sounds special. And judging by your tone, she may not know you love her. Or perhaps return the feelings?” The girl sighed a bit, though it was more so amused sounding. “I’d offer you a love potion, but those are actually cons made by people preying upon those in love and seeking out quick money.”

“Really?” Lance asked.

“But I can assure you, if your interest loves magic, she would appreciate the book. It’s small, but it’s full of spells from other countries and notes for potions.”

“Hmm.” Lance smiled softly. He didn’t know what spells were in it Pidge would know, but there were bound to be some she didn’t know. He checked his own personal funds, having long since learned to keep money on him for any given moment; he didn’t want to take from the funds for the quest. He hoped he had enough for the book.

Lance bought the book while Coran was still collecting ingredients and putting them in jars and pouches with the shopkeeper, the girl’s mother. He smiled as he held it in his hands and tucked it away.

“I hope things go well for you two. She seems like she has your heart.” she said. “If you don’t mind my asking, how long have you two known each other?”

“Hmm… I’d say most of our lives. We met as children, though she’s not the most social of the bunch.” Lance admitted. “But she’s nice in the end. And I love her passion for magic. I can listen to her talk about it until the end of time.”

“Do you use magic, too?”

“Well… the others think I have potential, but...” Lance shrugged. He would love to work with magic, but that would take time. “Anyway, thanks. I think she’ll love this book.”

“I’m sure she will, whether she already knows the spells in it or not.” the girl responded. “And honestly? She may love it just because it’s from you.”

Lance nodded. He then looked to Coran as he finished up, bringing the supplies over and getting them paid for. Once they were finished with their tasks, they went back out and met up with Allura, Hunk, and Shiro, the others having collected other supplies for Hunk to work with to make sure they were fed on their journey.

“So, what sort of stuff did you gather?” Lance inquired, looking to the bag Coran carried over his shoulder.

“Mainly ingredients that are trickier to get in our travels.” the older male responded. “They’ll help in brewing up protection potions and even make weapons stronger. Also I gathered some ointments and perfect plants to help with other poisons. Just in case.”

“Wonderful decisions, Coran.” Allura praised, clapping her hands some. She then sighed. “Too bad we can’t stay in town longer, though. I’d love to sleep in an actual bed than on the ground...”

“Yes, well, Keith doesn’t think it’s best for us.” Coran reminded.

“And he’s probably right; there’s no telling when trouble will catch up to us.” Shiro added. “In the forest, we can escape more easily. And if we have another _incident_ , we won’t risk anything happening to Pidge.” That statement silenced the others. They knew he meant her transforming so suddenly when he called it an _incident_. That was startling enough, but how she reacted after was bad. She was scared. She was sad. And it wasn’t just Pidge who got hurt; if they were in a town when she did that, innocent lives could have accidentally been harmed.

Lance put his hand just below his neck where the necklace hung. Keith had entrusted it, entrusted his sibling’s safety to him. Perhaps, he hoped, if there was another incident like that, he could stop her and aid her before it got worse. He was pulled from his thoughts as there was rustling heard. The others stopped and were instantly on guard.

Lance started to reach for his bow when something large, furry, and brown burst from the foliage and lunged right for him. In a split second, he realized that this was a very familiar setting. Before he could say anything, he had a massive wolf lying on top of him, a stick in her jaw and being chewed on. Everyone was stunned as they saw this, Allura looking to be reaching for her sword while Shiro already had his out. Coran had staggered some and Hunk flinched.

Hunk, though, was the first to relax when he realized just what was going on. “Um… Lance?” he asked. “Are you okay?”

Lance slid his hand out from under the massive wolf and his fingers curled in with his thumb left sticking up. This wasn’t his first time being tackled by a giant wolf chasing a stick and it probably wasn’t going to be his last. The only difference was now that he knew just who this wolf was.


	15. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Pidge and Kolivan have a talk about how the mage feels, Krolia is taken in for her imprisonment.

“You know, a wolf playing fetch is one thing. But finding out that that wolf is Pidge and she enjoys playing fetch?” Lance asked.

“You have a niece and nephew. Have you ever thrown something and they were entertained and went chasing after it?” Keith inquired.

Lance stopped for a moment and thought it over. “Okay, point taken.” He looked over to where Pidge was laying on the ground, still chewing on the stick. “Well, hopefully I don’t get tackled anymore. It’s a bit more surprising than it hurts, but… well… I’ll be feeling it for a bit.” He stretched a bit. He listened to Pidge whine. “Huh? Okay, I don’t understand what you’re saying, but if you’re worried about me, don’t be. You were having fun and I’ll recover after a good night’s rest. And it’s not like I’m broken or actually injured. So no worries.”

Pidge made a huffing noise before getting up, abandoning the stick she was chewing on. She then nosed Lance, seeming to comfort him. Feeling her nose, Lance chuckled a bit. “Yeah, don’t worry, I’m fine.” he assured.

Pidge nodded. She then looked out into the forest before grumbling at Keith. “If you’re gonna hunt, try not to tear up your prey too much; we can use the pelts to sell.” She nodded in response to her brother before bounding off, Kosmo right behind her.

Once she left the group, Pidge huffed out and slowed down. Kosmo came up along her sign and bumped into her side. **“Pidge?”** the smaller wolf asked. **“There’s a lot on your mind. Your fur is bristling.”**

**“Yeah, there is.”** the brown wolf responded.

**“What first? How you felt in town? And don’t think I didn’t notice; human or wolf, I know how you feel.”** Kosmo reminded. **“Or that scent?”**

**“That scent unnerved me… and I’m sure the cat I saw held it...”** She scrunched up her face as she snarled. **“I could be wrong about it, though but… something is off. And it smelled familiar… And not a good familiar.”**

Kosmo’s ears went down as he thought about it, slowing down until he stopped and sat down. **“It may be a different familiar but… it smelled like magic was near. And strong magic at that.”** he mused. **“Maybe you just picked up the scent of a strong magic user? Or even another mage?”**

**“I suppose… but...”** Pidge sighed as she laid down, resting her head on her paws. **“I don’t know… maybe I should just think it over.”**

Kosmo nodded. **“Then another thing. Your reaction when Lance was talking with others and being friendly.”**

That made Pidge’s ears go up. **“Yeah! I mean, I never got upset whenever Mom or Keith were social. But Lance? I don’t get it. When the others are talking and social, it doesn’t bother me.”** She gave out a growl. **“Hmm, maybe it’s because he’s too open and social. He can get hurt or jeopardize our task. It’d be bad if word got out from him about our task and the enemy found us. Be even worse if he got hurt.”**

Kosmo rolled his eyes. He cared for Pidge dearly, they were like family. He knew how bright she was, both as a human and a wolf. But she really lacked the ability to understand any interactions and emotions with others other than _safe_ , _dangerous_ , _stranger_ , _townsfolk_ , and _pack_. But he decided to try and get her to understand.

**“Remember when you saw Lance get hurt?”**

**“I was pissed… yeah...”** Pidge shuddered. **“** **How dare they hurt him...”**

**“Aside from the rage, do you recall what you felt?”** Pidge didn’t respond and just looked away. Okay, fair enough. It was still a tender subject. **“Well, how do you feel in general with Lance?”**

**“He’s part of the pack, of course.”**

Kosmo snorted a bit, clearing scents of the forest from his nose. Really? That’s all her clever mind could come up with? Well, she was, in a sense, still a pup. He couldn’t fault her completely. **“Okay, that’s fair.”** he stated. **“But you do care for him, right?”**

Pidge blinked. **“Well… yeah. A wolf always protects her pack.”** she reminded.

**“Right, right.”** Kosmo let out a sigh. Well, at least she acknowledged him as close enough to be part of the pack; that was a start. **“Well, try not to snarl at the next woman he talks with.”** He went over and nudged Pidge. **“Now let’s get hunting. I’m hungry and I’m certain you are. Just have to let Keith skin it first.”**

Pidge sighed before getting up to his feet. **“Maybe some food will help get my mind in order so I can think things over more.”** she mused. She then sniffed the air, picking up the trail of prey. **“And I smell a herd of deer. A good sized buck will be nice. And the antlers will fetch a good price in a town.”** She then bounded off, getting ready to go and hunt. Snorting in amusement, Kosmo followed after.

Krolia struggled against her restraints. She may have been captured, but while she was being transferred to the kingdom of Gaia, she refused to give in. She refused to surrender. But her captors did well to keep her restrained, especially after finding out that she was part of the Clan of Marmora. In all of this, though, she was at least thankful that her son and daughter were most likely safe.

“Well, we’ve arrived.” Sendak’s right hand man, Haxus, spoke up, getting Krolia’s attention. He opened up the small cart she had been shoved into and yanked her out, being cautious so she couldn’t catch him off guard. “I wonder if you personally know any of the other prisoners here.”

Krolia gave an audible growl in the back of her throat, showing she was not happy with this man. She hated the soldiers who took her captive with a fiery passion. Forced to her feet by some soldiers, she gave a grunt before resuming her snarling. She would have bitten them if it weren’t for the rag in her mouth; she had already bitten a soldier when she was first taken down.

Haxus announced himself and his purpose to the Daibazaal soldiers guarding the castle before being allowed in. He pushed Krolia along until he was inside and greeted by Prorok, one of the commanders left in charge of the castle during their king’s absence. There, he forced her to her knees, keeping her in place.

“One of the queen’s druids had informed us that someone would be brought here. The parent of a mage and elemental traveling with Princess Allura.” Prorok stated. Druid. It was a term used for the spell casters who worked for Honerva. “So this is her.”

“And she’s a Marmora clansman.” Haxus stated. Prorok raised an eyebrow. This was when Haxus procured a pouch from his side and pulled out a small bit of bluish dust. He blew it on Krolia’s exposed arm and a mark started to glow. “I’ve had experience. Only Marmora clansmen have this mark.”

“Intriguing.” Prorok smirked. He took over and grabbed Krolia by her arm, yanking her to her feet. “Sticking around?”

“I’m afraid not; I need to get back to Sendak and aid him on his task.” Haxus responded. “This is merely a delivery.”

“Right hand man?” Both Daibazaal men turned to look, seeing Prince Matt there. “To a man with no left arm. I’m surprised your title hasn’t been changed.”

“For a prince, you sure have no manners.” Haxus pointed out.

“Only for those who deserve it.” Matt grumbled. His eyes then settled on Krolia. He didn’t know who she was or that she had been raising his sister all those years. All he knew was the bit he heard about her being part of the same clan as Kolivan.

Next to Matt was Thace. He did well to hide it, but he knew who Krolia was. He didn’t know of her raising the princess either, or that she the princess as her second child, only that she had a son. Of course he would know of Keith, after all, Krolia was his older sister. He did his best to hide that he knew her, though.

“Prince Matt, now is not the time to instigate others. You should return to your room.” Thace informed.

“Humph.” Matt grumbled. He then stood strong. “You bastards can search all you want, but I assure you, you won’t find my sister. You haven’t for the past ten years, you won’t in the next ten years. And if you do, hopefully she sends you to hell. Hopefully she sends that one armed bastard to hell, too.” He then turned on his heel and walked back up the steps, leaving the others.

“He’s a charmer.” Haxus commented.

“Indeed.” Prorok nodded. “Thace, ensure he isn’t planning anything.”

“Yes, sir.” Thace dipped his head before following after the prince.

Prorok yanked on Krolia when she struggled against him more. “I’ll make sure she’s locked up and then interrogated. And await word on what to do. Have a good journey in returning to your squad.”

“Good luck; she’s feisty. As expected of someone living in that forest of wolves. She probably thinks she is one.” As though to prove Haxus right, Krolia snarled at him. He then left, leaving Prorok to deal with the prisoner.

With other guards, Prorok dragged Krolia down to the dungeons. He didn’t pay any mind to those already there other than smirking when they seemed to take notice of Krolia being there. He then took her to Kolivan’s cell, having the guards lock her up against a wall in there.

“Maybe you two know each other. Hopefully you can get reacquainted then.” Prorok commented. “Enjoy your stay.” He then left, leaving Krolia and Kolivan in the dark.

“Kolivan...”

“It’s been a while, Krolia.” Kolivan sighed. “I didn’t expect you to be located… I thought you were safe with raising your son.”

“I was… but soldiers took over the forest and village I lived in.” Krolia admitted. “But my kids are safe.”

“Kids? You had another?” Kolivan perked up as much as he could. “Didn’t expect that.”

“Another son… and they know my children cast magic…” Krolia let out a soft sigh. “I’m worried that they may try to use me to lure them in...”

“Hopefully they’re strong enough and don’t fall for it.”

“Hopefully.” Krolia looked around, taking in as much of the cell as she could. Dark. Damp. It was horrible conditions. She worried about how long Kolivan had been there. She wished she could also tell him about the princess, but she found it was best not to. She couldn’t risk her children’s safety. “I see the prince is well. Or as well as he could be.”

“All things considered,” Kolivan stated, “he’s done well. He’s brave and strong.” He smiled softly. “He’s made my imprisonment easier. He’s helped so many with the sacrifice he’s made… continuing to be a prisoner in his own castle...”

“Another member of Marmora...” Matt sighed as he looked out his window. “Is she one you know?” The castle may not have been fully safe, but his room certainly was.

“My sister.” Thace responded. “I’ve not seen her in years. Understandably so.”

Matt nodded. “Then we best keep the relationship hidden, lest they discover you.” he said. He continued to watch out the window before deciding to turn away. He removed his crown, putting it back in its place for the night. “I worry. We don’t know where Katie is… and I worry that they may actually find her.”

“Be strong, my prince. Hopefully things will go well.” Thace assured.

“I will try my best.” Matt nodded. “But I do stand by my statement. If Sendak finds her first… I hope she sends him right to hell.”

“Hell would be a blessing, I do believe.” Thace mused. “After the poison she used on him?” He smiled a bit. “Anyway,, it’s getting late. I suggest resting.” He sighed. “And if I may request… about Krolia...”

“Don’t worry, Thace, I’ll make sure she’s cared for.” Matt nodded. “I won’t let any member of Marmora here perish, not if I have any say in it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know I actually considered Krolia escaping? I was greatly considering it, but I decided otherwise when writing this chapter.  
> Anyway! I hope y'all enjoyed! Until next time!


	16. The Book

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance gives Pidge the book he found for her.   
> Pidge remembers another book she once knew.

Shiro grumbled a bit. Pidge had been growling off and on during their journey, even while she was in her human form. At first they constantly went on guard, worried she detected trouble, but then they always found that she was actually okay, they were safe, and she didn’t even realize she was growling. The constant sound of aggression annoyed him. While he did his best to stay patient, even remind himself that _patience yielded focus_ , he was running thin.

“Okay! That’s it!” he finally snapped. “Pidge! Unless there’s trouble, then stop this gro…” He turned to face the mage and stopped. His gray eyes widened before he snorted in laughter. The others took that moment to see what had Shiro’s attention, the group all amused.

“Huh? What is it?” Pidge asked.

“Um...” Keith tried not to laugh and just put his hands up on his head and twitched them a bit. This was enough for Pidge as she reached up finally and felt the wolf ears on her head.

“Ah! By the moon!” Pidge yelped. She pulled her cloak to the side to show that her tail was out, too, the fur bristled. In her surprise, the hair on her head bristled up even more. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” She tried to smooth out the fur and will her tail to go away. Her body wouldn’t obey. Muttering, she let her cloak fall in place before looking for her over sized hat, wanting to cover her ears.

“Oh, no need to hide them!” Allura assured. “They’re adorable!” She yelped at first when Pidge snarled harshly at her; though unnerving at first, the princess found herself giggling at the mage’s reaction. Yup, she definitely was a wolf.

“Allura is right, though.” Lance stated. “They are adorable.”

Pidge’s fur bristled up more as her face turned a deep shade of red. She then found her hat and put it on, pulling it even halfway down her face. That reaction made the others have to catch themselves before they could actually bust out laughing, adoring how she responded.

“Okay, that’s it! I’m gonna turn into a wolf!” Pidge snarled.

“Actually, Pidge, if possible, I think we should hold off for a bit.” Coran informed. Pidge peeked out from under her hat. “We’re not far from Olkari territory. After resting tonight, we should be there by sunhigh tomorrow. So to keep from being found out, I think it’d be a good idea if you remained human.”

Pidge grumbled, but she saw Coran’s point. “Fine...” she muttered. “Unless there’s trouble or you guys struggle to hunt. Then I’m turning wolf.”

“That’s fair.” Coran confirmed. “For now, though, your ears and tail are fine. Though if still out and we come across others, you’ll want to be quick to cover them.”

“I’d sniff someone out so...” Pidge sighed as she removed her hat, letting her ears twitch. “And I’m not adorable. I’m a predator of the forest.”

“Which happens to be adorable, especially while still in human form.” Hunk commented. “Or partial human form.” He smiled brightly. “You’re so fluffy!” He dared to go and pet Pidge’s head, scratching around her ears. Given the situation, he was probably the only one who could get away with it. Most of the others, Coran and Keith included, probably would have been snarled at. Lance would have gotten more blushing. Hunk though? Pidge would and could never hurt him! In fact, her tail started wagging under her cloak. “Awww! That’s just too cute!”

Pidge gave a snarl as she pushed away the taller man’s hand. “Okay, that’s enough. I’m not some pup-” Hunk’s hand was back, getting behind her ears. “Oh, oh, that’s nice.”

Allura giggled. Feisty, Pidge was still adorable. It was amusing to see how she actually enjoyed being scratched around the ears. As cute as the situation was, the princess knew they had to keep moving. “Well, for now, we need to move, so Hunk? Pet her another time?”

“Okay.” Hunk chuckled as he pulled back his hand.

“Good, now let’s get some ground covered before we set up camp.” Allura declared, starting ahead of the others with Shiro close behind her.

Pidge sighed, relieved that that attention was off her. She then looked to Kosmo as they started moving; he was watching her closely. “What?” Kosmo just rolled his eyes and shook his head, making a snickering-like huffing noise. Shrugging, Pidge ignored the reaction.

Walking, Lance felt for the small book in his bag. He had yet to find a time of when he could give it to Pidge and didn’t want to hold it off any longer. He fell back a bit to walk at her side, opposite of Kosmo. “Hey.”

“Oh, Lance. Hi.” Pidge mumbled. “You weren’t… teasing me, right? When you said I looked adorable?”

“Of course not; I was being honest about it.” Lance assured. “I think the ears and tail are cute. I mean, you’re fine without them, too, but fine with them.” He chuckled a bit, sounding nervous. He then noticed Pidge was blushing a bit. Embarrassed? Or perhaps she liked him, too? No, he couldn’t let himself get that far ahead. “Hey, I got you something at one of the towns we stopped in.”

“Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I need frilly gifts and jewelry.” Pidge growled.

“Way better than those.” Lance pulled out the small book and handed it to Pidge. “I figured it would mean more to you than anything.”

Pidge stopped and looked the book over, skimming through the spells and potions. She had grown up on books, read about spells and potions, but this? It was small, perfect for travel, and she could already tell there were things in it she didn’t know. Lance wasn’t surprised to see the growing smile; what did surprise him, though, was the sudden hug.

“This is perfect! Thank you Lance!” Pidge jumped up and entwined her limbs around him. He staggered a bit, but he managed to keep his balance. When she jumped away, the archer had to brace himself so he didn’t get knocked over. “This is brilliant!” Her tail was wagging even more and her ears were perked. Yup. She was happy.

“I’m glad you like it.” he said. “I wasn’t sure if it had spells you knew or not but...”

“There are new ones in it for me.” Pidge explained. “Wow! And it’s compact and perfect for travel, but also easy to read. And packed full of spells and recipes. Oooh! And look at this?” She showed him one recipe as they kept walking. “The same results as another potion I know but a different set of ingredients! These ingredients are actually easier to find in some areas which is good in our journey. It’s a good potion for minor infections of wounds. And if you ingest something bad, like poison berries, it’ll help get you sick so you can get those out of you.”

Lance smiled. Yup, he could definitely enjoy sitting there with Pidge and listen to her talk about spells and potions until the end of time. As they continued walking, he listened to her, enjoying the passion that the mage had. Seeing how happy she was, it made him feel happy, too.

“So we should be at the Olkari province tomorrow?” Keith inquired. They had stopped for the night and set up camp, the fire started and Hunk working on cooking food for the night.

“Indeed. By sunhigh, we should be close to our actual destination.” Coran responded. “The province doesn’t exactly cover that much area, but it covers enough. So it shouldn’t take long to get to the estate.”

“Yeah but… I don’t know if I can use that magic to find the princess from that place...” Pidge mumbled. “We haven’t actually spent much time studying it...”

“Pidge has a point.” Keith motioned to the mage. “And what if we can’t find the princess?”

“Well, we’ll think of something.” Coran sighed. He then observed Pidge as she continued to read her little book, going over the spells and potions again. “You must really enjoy it. Finding anything else in there interesting?”

“There are all sorts of interesting spells and potions. And different ways of doing things.” She handed the book to Coran for him to check out. “By the moon, I can ramble on all night about the books I’ve read, even this one.”

“You must really like books.” Shiro commented.

“Yeah, every chance I had, I would get books to read and further my education. Though I also liked stories for entertainment.” Pidge explained. “Mom often helped, trying to get me as many as possible so I could keep reading, especially when my magic developed more and she exhausted what resources she already had.” She smiled fondly, thinking of reading books, many with her brother. “There was one book Keith found and showed to me. I didn’t think of it earlier, but now that I think about it, it talked about shapeshifters.” She looked so happy as she thought about it. “I remember being enamored. The images showing a mage turning into a bird in a series of sketches.”

Keith perked up a bit. “We’ve read a lot of books together, Pidge, but… I don’t recall that book.” he admitted.

“We had to have.” Pidge pouted a bit. “We even talked about Mom’s magic. You were going through the book first and you called me over.” She looked perplexed. “Or… at least I think we did. It was a long time ago… maybe I’m mistaken? But that isn’t right. It feels like I’m remembering right… You even had to explain to me the difference between shape shifting and Altean magic in cloaking. We even brought up cheating in hide and seek that way.”

At first Keith was confused, but then he realized that this must have been a memory Pidge had when she was Katie. He gave himself a mental kick over that. “Well, like you said, it was a long time ago. With our playing in the forest and training, maybe I’m mistaken. After all, you’ve tackled me a number of times.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Pidge shrugged.

Coran twitched his mustache some as he listened to the others. While no one else seemed to notice, something in his mind clicked, especially Pidge’s description of a book that mentioned shapeshifters and showing one turning into a bird. While there were many books, he knew of one specifically that he knew Colleen owned. While he heard about shapeshifters from old stories and other books, he only recalled one book with that illustration. Others showed mages turning into cats and dogs, but a bird? And then there was talking of an Altean’s magical ability to cloak themselves and someone using that in hide and seek. Yes, he was on to something.

“Um, anyway, I’m going to go refill the water pouches.” Keith stated, getting up. “Pidge, don’t devour all the food if it’s finished before I get back.”

“Then I should be allowed to shift and go hunting.”

“No, no, try to behave.” Keith chuckled. “After this next part of the quest, then you can shift, okay?”

“Fine.” Pidge shrugged. She then smiled when Coran handed back to small book.

“I’ll help you, Keith; it’s best to not be alone.” Coran offered, getting up with a slight grumble. “Hrrm, not as young as I used to be.” He stretched a bit before going off with Keith to refill the water pouches.

Once away from the group and getting the water, Coran decided to bring up the book Pidge talked about. “How long ago was it that you two perhaps looked at that book?” he asked. “Ten years? Or more?”

“Huh?” Keith looked back.

“There aren’t many books that show illustrations about shapeshifting, especially into birds.” Coran admitted. “I’ve seen one before that belonged to Queen Colleen. I recall the illustrations in it.” He smiled softly. “Then there’s her children. Prince Matt and Princess Katie… when they would meet with Princess Allura and Prince Lotor, they would play hide-and-seek. Romelle and Bandor, Allura’s cousins, and my own son would join. Allura often used her magic to cloak herself, make it harder for anyone to find her. Though Katie often could locate her.”

“What are you getting at?” Keith inquired.

“Keith… I don’t know if you’d know but… is there a chance that Pidge is actually Princess Katie?”

“What? No, Pidge is Pidge.” Keith shook his head as he continued with the waters.

“And she was hidden as a boy.” Coran reminded. “Now I didn’t want to pry but… I think she is the princess. Part of me hopes so, that we have already found her and can help ensure her safety...”

Keith got nervous. He wished he didn’t know the truth himself. He knew Coran was right on the gold with that. He didn’t feel that he could hide it much longer, especially from this man.

“Please… you can’t tell anyone. Not yet anyway… especially Pidge.” Keith abandoned the pouched and stood up. “I… I don’t want to hurt her. Pidge has spent so long being Pidge and not Katie… and not knowing has protected her all this time.”

“Yes, now I understand.” Coran gave a solemn nod. “Names are tied into tracking. With only knowing herself as Pidge, she cannot be tied into a name. But surely she would still remember?”

“She had no memory when Mom found her. When found, she was brought in and raised by her. I got to be her brother, too.”

Coran nodded again. “I see. I will do what I can for now but… remember, we are searching for the princess. I cannot change things just because of this coming to light.” he said. “I know it’s for her safety, but I think her knowing, too, is good. It can help in the long run. And she’s not some little girl, as you very well know. Plus, we’ve got her back. And her? She’s got fangs and claws.”

Keith nodded. “Can… can we wait though?” he asked. “Until we reach that estate?”

Coran thought it over. “Okay.” he confirmed. “Perhaps more memories will show themselves there. And we can talk with her, help her come to terms more.” He then knelt by the stream. “Now then, let’s finish getting water and return to the others.”

As they continued to work before leaving, something up in the trees was watching them closely. Had they been aware and sought it out, they would have seen an orange and black cat up in the branches, the same cat Pidge had noticed in the previous town.


	17. The Olkari Province

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group get closer and closer to the estate in the Olkari Province. But the enemy is not far behind and creates their own plan to get what they want.

The orange and black cat padded through the forest, tracking scents and following a trail, before reaching a campsite. This camp was occupied by Daibazaal soldiers, the particular group led by Sendak himself. The commander noticed the cat, recognizing the appearance.

“Your majesty.” he said, going over to the feline with a cloak. He knelt before the cat as he draped the garment over the creature, watching the form underneath shift and grow.

The shapeshifter beneath the cloak grew, her joints popping and contorting so she could go from the size of an average house cat to that of a full grown woman. Some of the soldiers cringed at the sound of the snapping, others had twisted expressions, perhaps even ready to be sick. The way the body moved when shifting from one creature into the next was not always an easy thing for someone to witness. Sendak, though, was not bothered.

“I was not expecting you to meet up with us, my queen.” the commander informed. “If you need us to provide clothing...”

“Do not fuss, Sendak.” She finished her shift and pulled down part of the cloak, showing her head as she pulled the rest in close. Honerva. Not only was she a mage, but like Pidge, she was a shapeshifter. “I will be shifting again soon; I am needed elsewhere.” She looked to the commander. “Though I have found out some valuable information to share with you. I’ve been trailing the princess’ group with the elemental and mage.” She smirked. “And the kid is definitely a mage. She’s a shapeshifter.”

“I feel like there is something more you wish to say.”

“Indeed.” Honerva nodded. “That mage is also the princess.”

“As in...” Sendak covered where his eye was missing. “That brat...” He would never forget Katie claiming his eye and arm.

“Careful, Sendak, she truly has fangs now as opposed to her mother’s dagger.” Honerva informed. “She seems to favour the form of a wolf. Or perhaps she has not learned to take on more animal forms. Either way, you best be careful.”

“A wolf? So she’s the beast that destroyed one of the hunting parties?” Sendak bit his lip. “I will heed your warning, my queen.” He dipped his head.

“Good.” Honerva stood up, the cloak still around us. “You will find them in the Olkari province. It appears that they’re going to the old estate, hoping for magic so they can track the princess. Only two know her identity. Go and ambush them there. Capture Allura and Katie; kill the others if needed.”

“Yes, my queen.” Sendak gave a bow. “And of you?”

“I’m needed at the kingdom of Gaia, of course. I have a prisoner there to see to.” Honerva smirked a bit. She then looked around. “Haxus isn’t here? Normally he’s at your side.”

“I sent him on that mission to deliver that prisoner.” Sendak informed. “He’ll find his way to us soon enough.”

“Very well. Now, I must depart.” Honerva discarded the cloak, the soldiers averting their gazes in one way or another, wanting to respect the queen by not gazing upon her nude body.

“I have no issues with you shifting, but I wish you’d warn us first before you discard any clothing.” Sendak admitted, covering his good eye with his enchanted hand.

Honerva snickered a bit. “Zarkon’s never complained. But then again, we are married.” She then held out her arms before her body contorted yet again, her back bending in as her spine realigned itself. She collapsed to her knees as she shook and quivered, his skin tearing away for new skin, this one with feathers coming out. Her arms twisted as they formed into wings as her body took on a much smaller form, much like the size of the cat she was earlier. When she was done, she was a black bird with orange accents in some of the feathers.

“How does that not hurt?” Sendak actually asked when the shift was complete. He held out his enchanted arm and Honerva flew up and landed on it. “Be safe in your journey.” Honerva nodded before flying off.

“Sir? Our next plan?” a soldier asked.

“Pack up camp; we need to get to the estate before the princesses do.” Sendak ordered.

“Is it just me or have the trees gotten… bigger?” Hunk asked as he looked around. “Like, not just taller, but thicker.”

“Oh yeah, they’re definitely bigger.” Lance responded.

“A good sign that we’re getting close. Trees in the Olkari province are, more often than not, bigger than any other forest.” Coran explained. “It’s believed to be magic that makes the trees so large.”

“And lively.” Pidge went to one of the trees, putting her hands against the bark. “I can feel the life in them coursing, the branches, leaves, and roots communicating so that they can survive.” She smiled as she leaned against the tree, her arms out as though she attempted to hug it. “It’s so perfect.”

“It’s… like being in Wolf Forest, isn’t it?” Lance inquired.

“Well, to some, I guess but here? The magic is so much stronger.” Pidge informed. She stopped and looked when Kosmo started growling. A sniff told her that they weren’t alone. She went back to the group as they readied themselves, concerned that there would be a fight.

They expected soldiers to try and ambush them. Instead, though, vines and roots moved. This caught their attention as the plant life attempted to attack. Pidge, though, was quick. She dropped to the ground and dug both hands into the soil.

“Please, forest, please help us.” the mage whispered, calling upon her own magic. As much as possible, she manipulated the trees, using some to block the floral attack and try and protect the group. She focused as much as possible, fighting for control. As well as she did, it drained her and she knew she would collapse before long.

Then came an arrow, nearly hitting Shiro. “Shit! We’re definitely under attack!” he hissed.

“Then we return fire!” Lance grabbed the arrow that was embedded in the ground and docked it in his own bow.

“Lance, hold up! They may not be soldiers!” Coran called as he went to Pidge as she collapsed. “Tribes of the Olkari Forest! We mean no harm!”

“That’s enough! Cease attacks!” came another call. The trees settled down and the branches moved out of the way. A woman stepped up, her eyes lighting up when she saw Coran. “Coran? Is that you?”

“Huh? Mightiest Wimbleton! Ryner!” Coran looked relieved to see her.

“Auntie Ryner?” Allura asked.

“Princess Allura, my goodness.” Ryner let out a sigh of relief. She then looked to the others. “Do not worry, they’re friends.” She jumped down from a tree, using the branches to get down safely. She then ran over to Coran and Pidge, kneeling before them. “It’s been so long old friend.”

“I’m not that old.” Coran twitched his mustache as he pulled Pidge over into his arms. “Pidge, my dear, are you okay?”

“Tired… hungry...” Pidge mumbled.

“We’ll get you to our settlement.” Ryner said. She helped Coran up as he held Pidge. She then led the way through the forest, the others calm and content with following. “We’ve had attacks from Daibazaal soldiers in the past, so surely you can understand our hostile reactions.”

“It’s no worries; you were doing your part to protect your families and homes.” Keith stated. He stopped when he saw the settlements, homes and paths built up in the trees. Seeing it amazed him. “Whoa.”

“Welcome to our village.” Ryner smiled brightly, loving the awe in some of their faces.

“Auntie Ryner,” Allura said, “the old estate that was out here. We need to go there so we can try and track down the location of Princess Katie.”

“Princess,” Coran said before the Olkari woman could speak up, “Pidge is much too exhausted. And she hasn’t yet learned some of the magic that could help.” It was the truth, but it was also Coran putting off Pidge finding out about the truth. “She needs to rest first.”

“Quit coddling me; I’m not some helpless child.” Pidge grumbled. Despite her protest, she snuggled more into Coran’s arms. “But I’m tired… I wanna sleep.”

“No surprise there; you were counteracting our own magic in the trees to protect your friends.” Ryner commented. She led the group up one of the paths and to a larger looking home that was bridged to another. She took them into the first home, though. “This is where I live. If there are issues, I can arrange for others to help give you places to rest. But for now, you can stay here.”

“Considering we’ve been camping together all this time, sharing a living space shouldn’t be too hard.” Shiro chuckled as he and the others set down their packs.

Keith went over and set out some things so Coran could lay Pidge down. Kosmo joined them and snuggled in close to the young mage, keeping her warm and comfortable.

Coran went through one of the packs and brought out a bottled potion. He opened it up and poured some into a bowl. “Here, drink this. It’ll help you get your strength back and rest easily.”

“It smells bitter.”

“Well, I lacked the right ingredients to make it taste and smell good, but it’s effective.”

“Nn.” Pidge grumbled a bit before sitting up enough to drink the potion, grimacing at the flavour. She then laid back down, cuddling up against Kosmo. “I want to sleep...”

“Then rest. We should be safe here so you shouldn’t be disturbed.” Coran whispered. He leaned in and kissed Pidge on the forehead, getting the mage to smile softly.

“While she rests, we can talk elsewhere so we don’t bother her.” Ryner informed, leading the others out the other door and across the bridge. They went toward the other structure. “So you’re searching for Princess Katie? We have heard rumours that she slipped through Zarkon’s grasp...”

“Yes, and there’s reason to believe she’s alive.” Allura stated. She stopped on the bridge and overlooked the Olkari settlement. She hadn’t seen the Olkari folk in a decade; it felt like an eternity to her. “We were hoping that Pidge could help. She’s a remarkable mage.”

“Allura.” Keith hissed out, not wanting her to spread information like that around.

“It’s okay, Keith, we can trust Ryner and the other Olkari; we’re safe here.” Allura assured. “Don’t worry so much.”

“I’m always going to worry...” Keith grumbled.

“He’s Pidge’s brother.” Allura chuckled a bit. “But you’ve seen Pidge fend off your attack in the forest. She’s so skilled. And I think she may be able to use magic and find Katie. And if we find her, we can ensure she’s safe… even come closer to bringing an end to this war.”

“Hmm… perhaps… the old estate hasn’t been touched in so long. Well, except by plants and animals, of course.” Ryner stated. “But it’s strong magic you’d need to call upon old energy. She may have the potential, but she would need to learn the right spells. And control.”

“It would take time, Princess. I know you want to find Princess Katie, but we need to let Pidge rest and learn a bit more.” Coran added.

Allura nodded. “We’ll wait then. But hopefully she’ll be able to soon.”

Keith bit his lip and looked away. He really didn’t want the others finding out about Pidge being the princess. He just wanted her to stay being Pidge, continue being his younger sibling. But he knew one day it would come out. It was then for him to decide if he was going to try and tell her sooner… or let it her find out at the estate.

“Keith? Is something the matter?” Shiro asked, noticing Keith looking away.

“Just… thinking.” Keith mumbled. “You guys go ahead and chat. I’m going to stay with Pidge and keep her company.” He went back to the other structure, going back inside. When he entered, he stopped to see that Pidge had fallen asleep, curled in close against Kosmo. He sat down beside them, running a hand through her hair. “I wish we never had to leave the forest and Mom… or that Mom had come with us. She would know what to do.” he whispered.


	18. Matching Tempers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge and Allura clash, struggling to see eye to eye.

Allura was frustrated. They had been with Ryner and her people for a few days. While she understood that Pidge needed to understand some of the magic better and was proud to see her training with Ryner and the other Olkari, it was getting rather irksome that they weren’t going to the estate for the time being to try and locate Katie through magic. They were so close and it felt like they were procrastinating. And it didn’t help that Keith didn’t feel the same urgency that the princess felt and Coran wasn’t helping as much other than watching over Pidge during her training.

“Pidge,” the princess said as she walked over, “I understand there’s so much to learn and this is enjoyable to you, but we are on a mission.”

“I know that, you don’t need to remind me.” Pidge did her best to hold back from actually snarling. “Look, magic isn’t easy, you should know that since you’re apparently a spell caster. So why don’t you get off my tail and wait.” She let out a huff. “Or better yet, why don’t you figure out the spell yourself and cast it. If you’re in such a rush, do it yourself.”

“Because I can’t; my magic isn’t strong enough for that.” Allura reminded.

“Clearly.”

Allura was fuming, but she did her best to hide her emotions. She was raised to not lash out as much as possible, that it was unbecoming of a child of royalty. But she was walking on thin ice when it came to dealing with Pidge. “Pidge, in case you haven’t noticed, there’s a war going on and it has been like this and progressively getting worse for the past ten years. And the only way we can truly end it is if we find Princess Katie.”

“Look, I want to end this war, too, but at the moment, my magic isn’t ready or right.” Pidge pointed out. “And it can’t be rushed. Rushed magic is sloppy and that leads to it being dangerous. If you truly studied, you’d know that.”

“Dammit Pidge!” Allura actually raised her voice. “We can’t waste time further. We need to do this!”

“Princess, please.” Coran spoke softly to Allura, trying to quell her anger. “Let’s not get worked up.”

“No, Coran, I’m done just sitting around and waiting.” Allura pulled away when he tried to rest a hand on her shoulder. “We are going to the estate and we are going to try to find Katie.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.” Pidge snarled, this time making no effort to hide the wolfish sound.

“Now, Pidge,” Coran tried to be reasonable and level headed, “there’s no need to get after the princess. She’s only doing her best.”

“Princess? Hah.” Pidge snorted. “Last I checked, she’s no princess of ours.” Her eyes took on a more yellow tint, her wolf side seeming to shine through more. “In fact, she has no kingdom, she has no actual subjects, she’s hardly a princess at all.”

Allura saw red. She knew her kingdom was lost, but she had not given up her title. And with Pidge badgering her, she couldn’t resist anymore. She balled up her fist and slammed it right into Pidge’s face, an audible crunching noise as she hit her right on the nose and knocked the mage back, blood spurting some.

“Don’t ever talk to me like that again!” the princess snapped.

Pidge growled more loudly as her eyes completely changed. Not even caring that there were Olkari folk near and seeing them, Ryner included, her ears and tail showed themselves. She then lunged at Allura, thankfully still in her human form. Human form aside, though, she was still dangerous. Allura was right to put her arms up, trying to block the feral girl. Of course, it still hurt when she was bitten, teeth sinking into the flesh of one of her arms.

“Whoa! Whoa!” Hunk was the first to react. He dared to actually grab Pidge and pull her away, wincing when Allura yelped at the mage’s fangs scraping across her arm.

Lance wanted to pull Pidge back, but he was at first startled. He didn’t know how to react to Pidge jumping at the princess. But then he felt her stress. She was angry. And worried. And was struggling to hold back in shifting.

“Pidge, Pidge, it’s okay, you gotta stop and breathe.” Lance went over, standing in front of her and Hunk. Coran and Shiro helped Allura up. “It’s okay.”

Pidge shook her head as she snarled. She wasn’t speaking and the snarling got progressively louder. Then she pushed away from Hunk, forcing him to let go of her. She may have been much smaller, but she was definitely stronger than she seemed.

“It’s okay, Pidge, just focus on me.” Lance prompted, trying to calm the mage.

Pidge snorted a bit. She then turned away and ran off, her body quickly and painfully shifting. She didn’t even have time to discard her clothes so, once again, they got torn up. Once shifted, though, she took off running fully, disappearing into the forest.

“Pidge!” Keith called. “Dammit, I have to go after her.”

“Keith, wait.” Allura stepped toward the fire elemental.

“No, Allura.” Keith practically snapped at her. “This is Pidge we’re talking about. I need to get to her before she gets hurt.”

“Let me do that.” Allura sighed. “This is my fault. I pushed her… I should be the one to remedy this stress.”

Keith was skeptical. He didn’t know if he did want to let Allura do this. “Try not to get yourself mauled.”

“I’ll do what I can.” Allura nodded.

“Princess, before you go.” Coran stopped her. “You need that healed up.”

“I’ll just wrap it and put my armor back on.” Allura stated. “It’ll heal on its own.” Ah, the joy of magic. Allura did as she said she would, then she was off. She didn’t know how easily she could find the mage, but she couldn’t give up. She had to find Pidge.

“Pidge, I hope you’re okay.” Allura sighed. “I don’t know where to find you...” She didn’t plan on giving up, though. She took off running into the forest, hoping to find some sort of trail.

Pidge had found a stream to lay by. She lapped up some water before laying down. She let out a sigh as she rested her head upon her paws. She wondered if she overreacted. She didn’t like being bossed around, especially by some princess. She was a wolf of the forest, only nature commanded her. Or her mother. She definitely listened to Krolia.

_Maybe I should apologize… for what I said to her and for biting her._ She thought to herself. _It’s not Allura’s fault her kingdom was taken from her… and she is doing what she can to right the wrongs of a man who went beyond greed._

“Pidge? Pidge, where are you?” Pidge raised her head. Allura’s voice. She then sniffed. Definitely her scent. She then saw the princess step out of the trees and towards the steam. “Thank goodness, I found you.” Pidge sniffed again. Allura was worried, but not panicked.

Allura went over and sat by Pidge on the ground. “You were tricky to find. And your fur blends in well out here.” She looked to the wolf, noticing that Pidge was watching her. “I’m sorry. I lost my temper with you. And I got violent with you first. Father always wanted me to know how to fight, but he always told me not to pick fights first unless I’m threatened. And I hit you. Hard.” She sighed. “How’s your nose?”

Pidge licked a bit, her tongue lapping over her nose. The blood had dried and been washed off when she was drinking earlier. It was tender, but it had healed thanks to her magic.

“And the rest of you. That quick shift you did… it must have all hurt.”

_A bit… but I feel fine now…_ Pidge thought to herself. She then whined and nudged Allura’s arm. _I bit you._

“Hmm? Are you worried about that?” Allura smiled. “You startled me and it stung at first, but don’t worry. I’ll heal up just fine.” She nudged the wolf. “You have quite the teeth on you. If Katie bit like that, Roland and Bandor wouldn’t have wrestled with her like they did.” Pidge grumbled a bit as she twitched her ears, curious about that. “My mother always said it was unladylike, but Queen Colleen and King Samuel, Katie’s parents, thought it was fine for Katie to play rough, tackling the others in the dirt and mud. They always had fun. Sometimes she’d bite them if they put their arms across her mouth. Not hard, though. Just childish things.” She chuckled. “I bet you and Keith played rough too, right?”

Pidge nodded. She definitely did play rough with Keith. And when she started shifting, she would play fight with other wolves, having fun. She nudged Allura gently.

_I’m sorry for behaving the way I did._ She thought, hoping her actions could convey the words until she returned back into her human form. _Especially for biting you. It was wrong._

Allura leaned against Pidge, putting her arms up around her neck. “I don’t understand you, but it feels like you’re trying to apologize.” Pidge nodded. “And I forgive you. It looks like we both have some tempers going for us. And I hope we can amend things and get along.”

Pidge pulled away some. Allura was confused at first until she had her face licked. “I guess that means all is forgiven.” the princess chuckled. She then got up. “C’mon, we should head back to the others. I’m sure the Olkari folk who saw the transformation are shocked and we may need to explain things. Unless Keith and Coran get to that without us.”

Pidge whined but otherwise got up. She stretched her legs some before looking out at the forest. She was a wolf and she wanted to run.

Allura noticed the longing look in the mage’s eyes. “Well, I suppose there’s no real harm in taking a nice run. Though I don’t think I can keep up.” Pidge watched the princess for a moment before grumbling some. She then lowered herself and looked behind her shoulder. “Wait… you want me to ride on your back? Like I would on a horse?” Pidge scoffed some. “I don’t even have a saddle. But… I suppose.”

Allura went over and swung one leg over. She got on Pidge’s back and gently sunk her fingers into the thick fur. “Hopefully I won’t pull too much.” she said. “Okay, I’m rea-whoa!” Pidge took off, moving faster than the princess originally expected. When she recollected herself and fixed her grip and posture, she watched the trees around them as they sped through. She smiled when she heard Pidge howl; she figured the wolf was either sending a message to Kosmo or was just pleased.

Closing her eyes, Allura felt the air rush around her. She thought back to when she would go horseback riding with her parents. The sensation of speeding off with no destination in mind was as soothing to Pidge as it was to her. _Yes, we both definitely needed this._ She thought to herself.

“Kosmo?” Keith asked when he heard a howl in the forest. Kosmo stood alert at first before laying down. Seeing that, Keith let out a sigh of relief. “Looks like they’re out having fun, so we don’t need to worry.”

“That’s good to know.” Lance was relieved to hear that. “Probably won’t see them until sunset then.”

“Well, since Pidge is a wolf and Princess Allura does like going on little adventures last I knew, I think this will be fine.” Ryner commented.

Keith nodded. He then looked back out in the forest. As happy as he was to know Pidge and Allura were fine, he was worried. He was certain they would go to the estate soon, but he hadn’t had the chance or strength to tell Pidge about who she was by birth.

“You’re worried, I can tell.” Coran whispered.

“I don’t know how to tell her… but I need to make it soon...” Keith sighed. “Maybe when we go to the estate?”

“Possibly.” Coran thought it over. “She remembered reading a book with her brother before… perhaps seeing the estate, she would remember more. That would be the time to tell her.” He patted Keith’s back. “But it will be fine. We’ll figure it out.”

“I hope so...” Keith mumbled. “I really hope so.”


	19. The Estate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories are made up of energy. Especially in a forest filled to the roots and branches in magic, that energy could linger for a long time. Going to the estate, Pidge finds herself connecting to some of those memories of long ago.

Haxus stopped when he heard a small jingling noise. With a sigh, he disembarked from his horse and went through a pack he had.

“What is it, sir?” another soldier asked.

“I’m being contacted.” Haxus informed. He brought out a small mirror. Someone was using magic to contact him. He blew on it to activate the magic, his reflection disappearing and showing Sendak instead. “Commander.”

**“How near are you to the Olkari Province?”**

“Fairly close, sir; we should reach you before the day is out.”

**“No, maintain your distance.”** Sendak ordered. **“We’ve been informed of where to find Princess Allura as well as Princess Katie. However, the brat is also a shifter. She may try to run away. Be ready to** **track** **and** **find** **a giant wolf.”**

“A shapeshifter? I see. We’ll prepare.” Haxus assured.

**“Good. Be on guard. And if you capture either or both, secure them and have them delivered to the kingdom of Gaia.”**

“Yes sir.” Haxus watched as the reflection showed his instead. “Well, it looks like there’s a change in plans. We have to be on guard.”

“But a giant wolf...” one of the soldiers started to remind the other.

“A shapeshifter.” Haxus nodded. “I know how to deal with those. They aren’t common but that’s why we read books.”

Pidge looked up at the estate. There was something about it being practically abandoned and covered in vines that was rather poetic and beautiful. What really caught her eye was a tree that crew out of the middle of the estate, thinner than most of the other trees in the forest but still tall and beautiful.

Allura, on the other hand, looked sad. She had been going to the estate for years, playing with others and enjoying her time. She loved being in the castles, but the estate felt peaceful. Now it was overrun by the forest.

“Hopefully one day we can clean it up. I’d love to return here when this war is over.” Allura sighed.

“It’s so beautiful!” Pidge exclaimed, staring in awe.

“What?” Allura looked down.

“The way the forest has grown into it. It’s a part of the landscape now and a beautiful home to the many creatures that live here.” Pidge informed. “And it looks like the perfect place to explore. Like an enchanted forest growing in your own room! And all the scents. There’s so much life and magic in there!”

“It’s a forest consumed, overly glorified house, Pidge, not a sunset.” Lance pointed out with a chuckle.

“Well, yeah, a sunset happens every day. But this? To a wolf like me, it’s perfection.” Pidge smiled. She then sighed, looking nervous. “But… what if I can’t use the magic? Or what if it can’t lead us to Katie?”

“We won’t know until we try.” Shiro reminded. He then went on inside, looking around the foyer. Walls were lined with vines and roots, paint faded, mouldings pushed away, and old paintings taken by nature. It was sad but there was a sort of beauty to it. He could see how Pidge loved its appearance. He looked up when he heard some chattering, noticing squirrels and birds alike, watching them curiously or minding their own businesses. “It really is home to other creatures.” he said. “I don’t know about you, but I think if Matt and Katie were to see this, they’d want to leave it be.”

“I… I suppose.” Allura sighed. “It does have a charm to it.”

Pidge smiled as she looked around. She stepped out further and took in the senses all around her. “I’d have loved to live here. I could just find a nice place with ample sunlight and read all day.”

“She really loves books, huh?” Ryner asked Keith. She had gone with them just in case they needed her help. She knew nature magic more and could help Pidge.

“Every chance she gets, she loves reading them. And rereading them.” Keith mused. Despite his worries, he did find happiness in Pidge and her love of reading. “Better hope she doesn’t find any books here, then we’d get nothing done.”

“I’ve already had them all moved so they could be protected.” Ryner assured. “How do you think I’ve been teaching her these past few days?”

“Point taken.” Keith nodded, amusement taking over his expression. He then looked to Pidge again. There they were in the estate. The home Pidge was actually born in. One way or another she would find out that she was Katie. But he still didn’t know how to go about it so she wouldn’t overreact.

Pidge looked around. There was a peaceful air about the estate; it was probably the forest that was in and around it. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering where in the estate the tree grew; of all the things to see, she would love to see that.

_“Hey! Get back here!”_

_“No way! That’s the point of tag! To run away!”_

_“Well I’ll get you!”_

“Huh?” Pidge perked up and looked around. She swore she heard the voices of children.

_“Can’t catch me!”_

Pidge spun on her heel just in time to see a small child disappear into another hall. She moved towards it but stopped when she felt Shiro place a hand on her shoulder.

“Pidge? You okay?” Shiro asked.

“Didn’t you hear that? Or see them?” Pidge asked. “This place isn’t abandoned.”

“I mean… kinda? There are animals.”

“No, they weren’t animals. There were children.”

“There aren’t any other people aside us, Pidge...” Shiro was worried.

“But there-”

_“This way! This way!”_

__

Pidge heard one of the kids sing out, wanting someone to follow. The other kids? Her? She then looked up to see an indoor balcony overlooking the foyer. She could hear the voices up there.

“Up there!” Pidge ran for one of the walls and used the vines and her claws to climb up it. She got herself pulled up and onto the balcony.

“Pidge!” Keith called, alarmed that she was running off. Pidge didn’t listen, though, and ran off. “What’s going on?”

“Oh dear...” Coran sighed. “We need to find her; hopefully the halls aren’t blocked off.”

“Or I can give us a path to get up there.” Ryner suggested before kneeling, working with her magic to control the plants.

Meanwhile, Pidge ran further into the estate. Up and down different flights of stairs and through holes in the walls, she got around. She stopped when she found herself in an inner room that was large with high ceilings. There were a few balconies around to overlook it; she didn’t know what the room was, only that it seemed important. And that the tree she saw from the outside was growing in that room.

_“C’mon, Bandor! Gotta do better!”_

Pidge turned when she heard one of the kids again. She stopped when she saw the three running around, but seeing them fully, she realized something was off. They weren’t solid but rather transparent, as though they were ghosts. She was stunned to see that, but more than that, seeing the little girl in her dress really hit her. The girl looked so much like her, she thought.

_“Roland, you shouldn’t be teasing Bandor.”_ Pidge turned at a new voice. She stopped when she saw a younger version of Allura entered. Not that she actually recognized them, there were others; Romelle, Lotor, and Matt. Looking at Matt, though, something about him felt so familiar to the mage. _“How about a new game? How about hide-and-seek, hmm?”_ Pidge noticed more show up including a figure that looked just like Coran.

“C-Coran?” she asked, going to the apparition.

_“No way Allura.”_ Pidge looked back to see Bandor with his arms crossed. _“You cheat! I don’t wanna be it.”_

_“Bandor’s right, you do cheat.”_ Matt chuckled a bit. _“_ _You always use your concealing magic.”_

_“It’s called practice, Matt.”_ Allura huffed a bit, though she smirked in amusement.

_“I’ll be it!”_ The small girl, Katie, put her hand up. _“Allura can’t hide from me!”_ Katie ran over to Allura and hugged her. No one else noticed but Pidge certainly did; the little princess sniffed the older princess’ clothes, catching her scent and memorizing it. Looking, Pidge noticed the Coran apparition watching closely, smirking and making his mustache twitch upwards a bit. He probably noticed, too; typical of Coran, whether he’s the real one or an apparition.

_“Princess Katie, why don’t we go ahead and count.”_ Coran stated, holding his hand out to her. Katie grinned and ran over, barreling into the older male.

_“Just call me Katie! No princess!”_

_“Of course my dear.”_

Pidge watched as the little princess started counting. As she counted, they all disappeared, the ghostly figures fading away. She sank to her knees, confused by what she saw.

“Pidge? Pidge!” Keith ran over and slid on the floor, kneeling beside the mage. “Pidge, are you okay? Dammit, you shouldn’t run off like that...”

“What were you even following?” Hunk asked, confused.

“I… I don’t get it.” Pidge stared at where she last saw Coran with the princess. “I… I was seeing others. Hearing them. But they were clear. Like I could see through them though I could see them clearly. Their features. The colours of their clothes and hair. I felt like I knew one of them. His hair was like mine… eyes too… and this little girl. She looked like me.” Pidge didn’t notice the tears start streaming down her face. “And Allura and Coran. I saw them, too… but Allura was younger… and… I saw Roland. I saw Coran’s son… what...”

Pidge shook her head. “The younger ones… Katie, Roland, and Bandor were playing tag. Then Allura suggested hide-and-seek even though she cheats at it.” Listening to Pidge, Allura covered her mouth in shock. Had she really seen and heard all that? “But Katie was okay with that. She always found Allura apparently. She… she can… smell her. Her scent…” Pidge looked over to Keith. “How did I see this? I don’t know what this magic is...”

“It’s nature’s magic.” Everyone looked to Ryner. The Olkari woman went around and knelt in front of Pidge. “Sometimes when we connect with nature, we can see the memories of the past. We can see what happened before.”

“But why those memories? Why did I see them? And why did it feel like I knew them?” Pidge questioned. She was so confused and it was scaring her.

Coran sighed. He couldn’t answer how Pidge saw them, but he knew why she felt the sense of familiarity. He looked to Keith who nodded softly. “Pidge, it’s be-”

“Because you, my dear, are the lost Princess Katie.”

Everyone looked up. Figures stepped out onto the balconies, archers aiming their weapons at the others. Among them was Sendak, the man standing out rather well. Pidge was confused at first, but then something clicked.

_Little brat!_

The voice echoed in her mind. His voice.

“Sendak...”

“Huh?” Keith looked to Pidge. “Do you know him?”

“Oh, so you do remember me.” Sendak smirked. “So surely you recall what you did to me.” He showed his enchanted arm. “You caused a lot of damage, brat. Too bad you’re the princess, otherwise I’d take pleasure in killing you for what you did to me.”

“You’re wrong!” Pidge shouted. “That’s not me! I’m not the princess! I’m just me!”

“Pidge...” Keith whispered.

Pidge’s attention went to her brother. “No. No no no no.” She shook her head quickly. Her? The princess? That couldn’t be. But it made sense. When Keith didn’t recall the book then quickly covered why he probably wouldn’t, plus those figures being familiar…

Pidge was scared. She was being threatened by the Daibazaal soldiers and she just learned what she didn’t expect. “NO!” she shouted before leaping forward, tearing the next set of clothes given to her by the Olkari as she quickly shifted, his skin tearing and blood splattering. Keith was worried at first that Pidge would attack the soldiers, especially when no one had been hurt yet, but he was met with a new fear. Pidge ran away. She was emotional and escaping; there was no telling what she would do.

“You trail her! The rest of you, fire!” Sendak ordered. He then jumped down from the balcony. He ran past the others.

“No you don’t!” Lance shouted, shooting an arrow at the commander. Sendak, though, quickly blocked it with his enchanted arm. With a smirk, he ran off with some of his soldiers, pursuing Pidge. The others then attempted to attack the group. “Shit!” he hissed, shooting at one of the soldiers. He then took cover in a hall with the others. “This isn’t good...”

“Yeah; we’re cornered and Pidge ran off...” Keith was afraid she would react badly. Sendak showing up and knowing who she was made things even worse. “We need to handle things here and go after her, make sure Sendak doesn’t harm her.”

“Ryner, do you think you can get the vines to help us?” Coran asked.

“It may take a minute, but I should.” Ryner stated.

“Good, then after that, we need to go after Pidge.” Allura said. “Go after… Katie...” She couldn’t believe it. The princess was with them all along. Did Keith know? Why didn’t he say anything? She wanted the answers but their present situation was not the place nor the time. They had matters to deal with before she could start questioning him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.  
> I think Sendak's still upset about his arm.   
> Must've been important to him.  
> Anyway! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Until next time!


	20. Waste Not, Want Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge is on the run, pursued by soldiers. One particular soldier she runs into, though, is a lot more capable than the rest. Sendak may be dangerous in a fighting sense, but this next guy is quick and clever.

Princess.

A princess.

The princess.

Pidge couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to. She was Pidge, child of Krolia, sibling of Keith. She was raised in Wolf Forest, not knowing of any father. She was raised with her small but happy family and the wolves. She was raised to use magic, training when she showed to be gifted. She had a few friends but that was all she needed. She didn’t need much. She didn’t want much.

Finding out she was the lost princess of the kingdom of Gaia? It hit hard. And all she could do was run, her paws slamming against the ground as she fled. When she finally came to her senses, she realized that the others could be in danger. But she had soldiers pursuing her. She had to get away from them. She couldn’t let them claim her.

_I’m sorry Keith. Lance. Everyone. I didn’t mean to run away._ She thought to herself. She wanted to go back, but first she had to shake the soldiers who aimed to capture her. If possible, she didn’t want to actually attack them. But if needed, she would definitely harm them, kill them if she had to.

Pidge thought she lost the guards, though it was hard to tell. She never smelled them in the estate and she could only catch their scents in the forest at times when the wind was right, and even then, it was the scent of sweat. _The soldiers must have concealed their scents, made themselves smell like the forest. They probably used mud…_ she deduced.

Though she thought she lost the soldiers, she caught another scent. Another group. And they aimed to ambush her. She snarled when a steel net was dropped on her, the item infused with magic to try and pin her.

“Looks like the commander was correct.” Haxus stepped up to the pinned wolf. He looked confident, but Pidge could already tell that he was ready to dodge in any direction to avoid her, a sword even ready to attack. He may have looked confident, but he was prepared. Compared to the other soldiers with him, Pidge felt he was an even greater threat.

Pidge stared Haxus down, her gaze zeroing in on him. She snarled, showing her fangs. The other soldiers seemed nervous, but Haxus stood his ground.

“We can make this easy, your majesty.” If his words had a physical manifestation, Pidge would say that venom would be dripping from the _your majesty_ comment. “You can surrender yourself and get out with minimal or no injuries at all.” Pidge chewed at the net, wanting to get rid of it. “I’d really hate to have to fight.”

_Oh, trust me, soldier boy, it won’t be much of a fight!_ Pidge gave a snarl as she managed to rip the net off. She then lunged for the soldier, ready to crush his bones between her jaws. As she initially suspected, Haxus managed to dodge out of the way.

“Stay on your toes, men, a wolf is a creature you never want to underestimate.” Haxus warned the others. He dodged again when Pidge tried to attack. He was light on his feet and made it seem easy to avoid her. He was definitely the most threatening with his skill.

Fighting Haxus, though, Pidge felt if it were just him, she could handle the soldier. But the other soldiers were making it tricky for her to focus on only him. She knew she had to eliminate them first, then she could focus on him.

While Haxus had been more prepared on a mental level, seeming to hold the skills to fight a massive wolf, the others were not him. Pidge lunged at another soldier, quickly biting him around his neck, snapping the bones and piecing his flesh. He didn’t stand a chance against the guardian wolf.

One down.

Four to go.

Pidge kept up her work, taking down each of the soldiers. She wasted no time, tackling the different soldiers as they tried to take her down. By the time everyone else except for Haxus were eliminated, Pidge’s jaws were dripping with blood, most of it being theirs. She had taken some strikes, one soldier having gotten her with a number of arrows; due to being the princess, they couldn’t try to kill her, but the non-vital hits stung. She shook out the arrows before turning on Haxus, snarling at him.

_Now what, soldier boy? Your men won’t be assisting you anymore._ Her lip curled, seeming as though she were smirking at him. _**Good job, Pidge. You’re living up to being the monster that you truly are.**_ _Shut up, I’m no monster. I’m defending myself!_ _ **You tell yourself that, but oh my dear, you’re a monster.**_ _SHUT UP!_ Pidge snarled, this time at herself and inner voice rather than Haxus, not that he would even know the difference.

Pidge lunged at Haxus, hoping to tackle him. The soldier, though, had his own plan in mind since he was able to properly prepare it while the shapeshifter was distracted. He dodged in time and grabbed hold of her fur. He pulled himself toward her and flung his leg over her body, straddling her back. Pidge stopped and tried to snap at him, but his grip and position made that tricky. Like a wild horse, she tried to buck him off.

“That won’t work.” Haxus pointed out. He then put a rag to her nose.

_Fool! I’ll just bite y-your… h-hand…_ Pidge’s eyes widened. Her muscles began to spasm and she felt weak. She collapsed, the soldier getting off her back before she could roll over and trap him underneath. _What happened?_ She whined, not sure how to conceive what was going on. _What did you do to me!?_

As though Haxus could understand her, the soldier spoke. “It’s a special drug.” He explained as he rolled up the rag, tucking it away into a small pouch. Pidge figured he explained out of some sort of courtesy. “It acts as a paralyzing agent. The droplets enter your system and render you immobile. I may have used a bit much, but I had to guess with your size and to make it as instant as possible. Otherwise I’d be the right hand man without a right hand.”

_How kind of you to explain._ Pidge growled a bit. She managed to twitch her paws and ears, but it wasn’t much. _Heh. Good luck dragging three hundred pounds of dead weight in a giant wolf._ Pidge may have been unable to move, but as much as possible, she was able to glance around. She watched as Haxus fixed up something else, a potion. She didn’t know what potion it was exactly, the scent being one she didn’t recognize. The ingredients she knew, but when mixed, it was new. And it was magic infused since he muttered a spell into it. _What are you up to?_

Haxus looked over to Pidge and smirked a bit. He then went to her head. “Now, I need you to behave and swallow this for me. Don’t worry, it’s not bitter; if anything, it’s kind of sweet tasting.”

_Is he speaking from experience? Either he’s immune to it for whatever reason or it’s actually harmless._ Pidge let out a growl as she tried to struggle and will herself to move. Nothing. The dust had not cleared her system and she feared it wouldn’t for many hours.

Haxus put the vial he had to Pidge’s mouth, managing to pour the substance in. He then clamped his hands around her muzzle, forcing her mouth to remain shut so she couldn’t spit the potion out. Pidge did her best to struggle against that, but Haxus was not giving up.

“Be a good girl and just swallow it. It shouldn’t hurt.” Shouldn’t? So even he didn’t know if it would or wouldn’t. “The sooner you swallow, the better.”

Pidge huffed, snorting through her nose. She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t fight it. Eventually, she gulped down the substance. The only perk was that, as he promised, it wasn’t bad tasting; it was definitely sweet. Make that two perks. There actually was no pain. But Pidge felt a new sensation of spasms in her muscles.

Pidge felt her joints pop and muscles shift. She gasped out when Haxus let go of her muzzle and backed away. He then moved to check on something else as the wolf laid there, going through a shift. A forced shift that she had no control over. Was it the potion he gave her? She had never heard of anything like it before. It was both interesting and frightening.

Pidge felt her body return to her human form, the fur falling away. She was left on the ground, a little cold, unable to curl up and comfort herself, and as vulnerable as a newborn baby. “What did… you do to me?”

“Made you easier to take back to the kingdom.” Haxus responded. “It’s designed to shift a shifter back into their human skin. And while you’re immobile from the other potion, you shouldn’t be able to shift again until it wears off. Though I don’t intend on letting that happen. I made sure to find enough ingredients to make enough to keep you put.” Not that he would tell Pidge, but he wished he had it all available when he took Krolia to the kingdom; she was fiery and struggled a lot. At least he had it for the princess.

“You’re a bastard.” Pidge grumbled. “So what now? You’re going to just haul me back to the kingdom like this? Humiliate me? Well I won’t be humiliated. I’m used to being seen without clothes. What wolf wears clothes?”

“You may see me as your enemy, but I like to think I’m not that cruel.” Haxus admitted. He went back to Pidge and moving her like a doll, he got her dressed in some extra clothing from the packs. They were baggy and loose on her, but they covered her body. “It’s a real shame, though. My men were killed. But that’s what happens when we poke at a wolf.” Pidge observed him. “Even a normal wolf would attack. You must really call upon your wolf instincts.”

“What? Not seeing me as a monster?” Pidge smirked, expecting him to actually see her as such.

“No more than a wolf or bear who defends their territory.”

Pidge was perplexed. This was her enemy. This man bested her in a fight and took her prisoner. And yet he seemed rational. “You’re a weird person...”

“Hmm.” Haxus grunted. He then hoisted Pidge up and flung her over his shoulder. “Now then, time to get you home.”

“That’s not my home. And I’m not the princess.” Pidge grumbled. Haxus didn’t respond otherwise and just walked off, going to where the horses were waiting.

Haxus put Pidge up on a horse and made sure the extra packs were on the back of another. He then climbed up, sitting behind the mage to keep a close eye on her. “It’ll take time, so try and behave.”

“I can’t move or properly bite you like this.” Pidge huffed. “But you can bet that I will talk your ear off and make you wish you never grabbed me.”

“Duly noted.”

“I’m really hating these Daibazaal soldier guys.” Lance grumbled as he pulled a few arrows out of a body. He then knelt by the corpse and picked up his quiver, checking the arrows in it. “Hmm, nice craftsmanship. I’ve seen better from Hunk, but these are pretty good.” He took the quiver with him, the archer planning on using it to put more arrows in so his original one didn’t fill up too much.

“Are you seriously looting these guys?!” Shiro asked. “That’s immoral!”

“Why? They tried to kill us. And now they’re dead. They don’t need these things anymore.” Lance exclaimed. “Besides, Keith is looting, too!” He motioned to the elemental who was checking a coin pouch on another soldier before pocketing it.

“Keith!” Shiro was shocked.

“Money isn’t always easy to come by.” Keith shrugged his shoulders, not seeing anything wrong with it. “And Lance is right. They don’t need this stuff anymore.”

“I’m traveling with a bunch of bandits…” Shiro grumbled. “And didn’t you want to be a knight, Lance? What the hell!?”

Lance grinned and shrugged. “Waste not, want not.” he declared. “And I’m sure not all knights are _pure of heart_ , they would be tempted, too.”

“Princess, please say something?” Shiro requested.

“I think it’s a good idea.” Allura stated. She then looked to Hunk and Kosmo as the two returned. They had gone off earlier and chased after some of the soldiers. Kosmo was snorting and huffing, trying to get a scent out of his nose. “How’d it go? What happened?”

“We got led into a trap.” Hunk sighed. He sniffed himself. “And it’s not pleasant and I don’t think Kosmo’s tracking any scents…” He looked downcast. “That being said… we lost Sendak and the others… and we haven’t found Pidge yet...”

“You haven’t found her?” Keith jumped up right away. He then went over to Kosmo, checking the wolf. He could smell whatever got on them; it would take time for the scent to fade. “Oh no...”

“I’m sorry, Keith...” Hunk mumbled.

Keith couldn’t get angry with Hunk. He did his best. “We’ll find her.” he assured. “We have to...”

“Pidge is resourceful.” Coran assured. “She’ll figure out a way to stay safe and find us.”

“So do we just wait here for her to come back to us?” Shiro asked.

“We can’t!” Shiro jumped when Allura, Lance, and Keith actually shouted at him in unison.

“We should at least wait until Kosmo’s nose clears up and he can sniff for her more.” Coran said. “I should be able to make a concoction to clear out his nose. It’ll take a few hours, though… but until then, we’ll have to trust that Pidge will be okay.”

Keith sighed. He hated the idea of doing that, even for just a few hours, but he knew they had to be patient, otherwise they could go in a completely direction than Pidge and waste more time. “Okay. But when Kosmo’s fit to sniff her out, we should get going.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love that Shiro is this moral guy who finds it wrong to loot the dead after a fight. Lance and Keith, though? Hey, the soldiers are dead. They can't take their stuff with them.   
> Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!  
> Until next time!


	21. Cut Off a Wolf's Head, It Will Still Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in the kingdom of Gaia, within the castle's dungeon, Krolia is held prisoner, never budging and revealing any sort of information to anyone. Honerva, though, pays her a visit and has some spells up her sleeves to get the information she desires.

“You’re majesty.” Prorok bowed his head when Honerva showed up. He called for servants to bring her a cloak and clothes before excusing himself, giving the queen some privacy so she could shift back into her human form and get dressed. “Our latest prisoner has been properly detained. Though any interrogation performed and she is as still and silent as a grave.” he reported when the queen stepped out, brushing her fingers through her hair before pulling it back and binding it.

“And of the prince?”

“He’s… well… it’s hard to say. I have one of my most trusted soldiers keeping an eye on him as much as possible.” Prorok responded. “The prince, though, is as stubborn as ever. And ill mannered at times.”

“Well, given the situation, I suppose that is to be expected.” Honerva stated. “And where is the prisoner?”

“Down in the dungeons; we’ll bring her up for you right away.”

“No need; I’ll go down.” Honerva waved it off. She then stopped and looked to see Thace descending down a flight of stairs; Prorok noticed this, too.

“Thace! Where is the prince? You’re supposed to be keeping an eye on him!” the commander snapped.

“He was heading to the dungeons; I did not see a need to follow after him since there are no escape routes there. Even if there were, for the safety of others, he knows better than to escape.” Thace responded, certain that would be enough for the commander.

“That is besides the point; the boy is clever and could easily plot something!” Prorok was frustrated with Thace. “No matter; we’re going down. And I want you to escort him to his room and keep him there.”

“Yes, sir.” Thace nodded. He then went to the dungeons entrance, heading down first with Prorok, Honerva, and other soldiers following after. Honerva was certain she wouldn’t need the protection, but the commander insisted; prisoners could be dangerous, especially those from the Clan of Marmora.

Matt was in the cell that Kolivan and Krolia were locked in, taking care of the two. When the others entered, the prince was giving Krolia water. Or at least he tried to. Prorok was quick to move in and grab the prince by his arm, yanking him back with so much force, it was a wonder his arm hadn’t been dislocated by the brute. The water, though, spilled all over the place, mixing in with the dirt and dust already there and turning it into mud.

“What the hell is your problem?” Matt smacked the offender’s hand away once he was stabilized on his feet. “You have no say in me caring for them! Just because they’re your prisoners doesn’t mean I will be ignoring them!” He then stopped and looked, seeing Honerva there. There was no way he could ever forget her. She was a good friend of the family before. He had vivid memories of sitting on her lap and being read magic books to, especially when his mom was tired while pregnant with Katie. “Honerva...”

“You will address her majesty appropriately.” Prorok reminded the prince.

Matt didn’t break eye contact with the mage and queen. She may have once been important in his life, but she had become the enemy ten years ago and showed no sign of changing or deceiving Zarkon. “Remember, Honerva, you may be a powerful mage, but you have no power over my kingdom. You have no power over me.”

Honerva watched Matt for a moment, judging his expression, his emotions, his tone. She was evaluating him. “Take him away; I have a prisoner to question.” Thace nodded and gently took Matt’s arm; to the others it looked forceful, but the prince knew it wasn’t. He then pulled, getting the prince to go with him and leave the dungeon. Once the prince was gone, Honerva went to Krolia. Worn and tired as she may have been, she held a determined gaze in her eyes.

“Be careful, your majesty; she’s feisty and bites like a wolf.” Prorok warned.

“A wolf? How intriguing.” Honerva cracked a grin, her teeth showing. “Did you influence that child you’ve been training then? Or perhaps...” She shook her head and she knelt down in front of Krolia. “I already know just who your child is. That your little mage is truly the princess who went missing. Who all knows? Who all did you tell?” Krolia just looked to the queen, her gaze steady and a snarl in the back of her throat. Behind Honerva, Kolivan looked in shock. Krolia had been raising the princess? That was news to him, understandably so.

“No, you wouldn’t share the knowledge with anyone. You are smarter than that.” Honerva smiled a bit. “In fact, I’m certain you wouldn’t tell anyone anything, hmm? Even now while you’re so broken and caged up like a beast.” She dared to gently touch Krolia’s cheek, but the elemental snapped her head to the side and bit the mage, even drawing blood. Soldiers instantly had their weapons trained on her. “Back down.” the queen ordered. They were hesitant, but they followed the command. “Feisty, aren’t you?”

“Even if you cut off a wolf’s head, it still has the power bite.” Krolia finally spoke before spitting the blood out.

“A wolf indeed has its fangs and claws.” Honerva looked a bit amused. She then reached up, taking hold of Krolia’s head. “Katie will be tricky to truly capture; I may have given Sendak the task, but I won’t be surprised if he loses her. However… I don’t intend on her eluding us forever. And you will help.”

“Piss off!”

Honerva smirked. She brought her face in close, resting her head against Krolia’s. She then mumbled a spell. At first the elemental was confused, but then she found her head hurting, as though daggers were on the inside and digging into her, scraping to find a way out. She struggled against the mage as much as her restraints would allow her to, soldiers even tightening the chains when it looked like she would get some more leeway.

Honerva focused, using magic to dig around in Krolia’s mind, searching for any and every memory possible that she could use later. She kept searching until Krolia used her own magic, breathing fire at her and causing the mage to back off and pat down her tunic, smothering the cinders.

“Your majesty, are you okay?” Prorok asked, quick to check on the queen.

“Yes, I’m fine.” Honerva’s smile was malicious as she watched Krolia, the elemental looking exhausted. Of course she was, she just had her mind invaded with magic. It was nearly impossible to fight and yet she managed to muster up enough magic to make the other back off. But it was too late, the mage got exactly what she needed. “I’m better than fine. She gave me what I wanted so I can capture Katie.” She went back over, kneeling once more.

“My child… will never… yield to you.” Krolia huffed. She sniffled some as blood dripped down from her nose. The stress of the magic used on her took a toll, but she was ready to fight back if needed. She snarled when Honerva reached and grabbed her by the back of her hair, painfully yanking her head back and making it smack into the stone wall she was attached to.

“Oh, I think she will.” Honerva countered. She held out her hand. “Your dagger, Prorok.” Without a word, the commander handed it over, gently placing it in the queen’s palm. She then used the dagger to cut part of Krolia’s hair, the low hanging tail, the longest part of her hair, removed with one swipe. “In fact, she’ll come right to me.” She stood up and returned Prorok’s dagger. She then walked off, leaving the prisoners where they were.

“Should we inform Prince Matt?” Prorok inquired as he followed his queen. “About knowing who and where the princess is, more or less.”

“No. The less he knows, the better.” Honerva responded. She looked to the hair in the palm of her hand, a wicked smile etching its way onto her face. “Now to prepare to lure in that child.”

“Lotor plans on coming here.” Matt sighed. “It may not be best while Honerva is here.” He looked to Thace who stood guard. Others thought it was to keep an eye on the prince, but in reality it was to make sure the prince was safe and others were not listening in. “Can you get word to others so they can stop him before he arrives?”

“Of course.” Thace nodded. He was given his orders to stay with Matt, so he went over to a writing desk and sat at it while Matt took to a chair near a bookcase, picking up one of his many books to read. Thace settled in and pulled out a small strip of paper. He then wrote on it, giving a quick message to warn the recipient that Honerva was at the castle and that Lotor should keep his distance until she departed.

It didn’t take long to make the message out. Once complete, he fished out a small vial of powder and sprinkled some onto the note. He blew on it and the message vanished. A specialized invisibility spell that only certain people could reveal it. First, though, they’d have to to find it.

From a small pouch at his hip, Thace brought out a biscuit. He broke a piece off of it and went to the bookcase, kneeling beside it. He gave a gentle whistle. After a few minutes, a mouse squeezed out from behind the wooden shelf and squeaked up at him.

“Hello little one. I need you to deliver something for me.” Thace spoke softly to the small creature. He handed it the piece of biscuit to nibble on. While snacking away, he tied the note to it, firmly securing it. “You know who to take it to, correct?” The mouse nodded and squeaked at him. “Then go on. It’s of urgency, little one.” The mouse gave a frustrated sound before holding out its tiny paws. “Oh, very well.”

Thace couldn’t help but chuckle as he broke off another piece of biscuit, handing the bit over to the mouse. Once the mouse finished the treat, it took off, slipping in behind the bookcase once more and disappearing.

“It’s always interesting how you get the mice to listen to you and deliver messages.” Matt mused. “I remember Allura had some pet mice. She would talk with them, give them bites of biscuits and pastries, and they would listen to her.”

“They’re the perfect allies when you want to send hidden messages.” Thace got back up. “The message should reach my outside source and relay it to Lotor in a timely manner. Until then, we need to be patient.”

“Agreed.” Matt nodded. He sighed. “I hope Krolia is okay… I don’t know what Honerva has planned...”

“I hope so too.” Thace knew his sister was strong despite having not seen her in so long, but he was still worried about her well-being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey readers! Ever since I saw Princess Mononoke many years ago, the saying about a wolf having the power to bite has stuck with me. So of course in an AU with wolves, I had to involve it. Krolia may not be a wolf, but she lives like one.  
> Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!  
> Until next time!


	22. A Prince and his Generals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Near the rebellion village, Lotor, Prince of Daibazaal, seeks information on spells to use to keep his father from succeeding and truly ruling. With his destination being Gaia's castle, Thace's contact must reach him first to stop him before he could get there.

Close to the kingdom of Gaia, there was a rebellion that had formed. Among them was Iverson. He had gotten away at some point after the castle was taken over and Matt became a prisoner. Seeking aid from others, he created one of the largest rebellions in the kingdom and they managed to keep safe while still trying to help those in need and take down Zarkon’s forces.

Within the group of rebels, there were some members of the Marmora Clan. One of which was an albino man named Ulaz. Ulaz was a skilled soldier but also a healer, studying magic to create healing potions and even using direct magic to heal some wounds. On top of that, he was Thace’s contact.

Ulaz was sitting in a tent within the hidden _rebellion village_ , blending herbs to create the latest batch of potion for the others. He stopped when he heard a small squeak. Looking over, he saw a mouse climb up onto his worktable.

“A message.” he simply stated. He got up and went across the space of his larger tent, checking a package of food that was brought to him not that long ago. He picked up some sweet bread and tore off a piece before returning to his worktable and the mouse. “Thank you for your troubles.” he told the creature before untying the note. Ulaz opened it up and grabbed a small jar of powder. He blew a small bit onto the note and revealed its message.

With the note visible, he read it over a few times, making sure he was comprehending it correctly. As someone entered the tent, the flap that acted as a door rustling, he put the note into his candle, letting it burn up.

“A message?” one of the rebel captains asked. Te-Osh. She had been a tribal leader on the far side of the country, opposite of Wolf Forest. Though far from the kingdom, her people and home had been attacked when they stood up against Zarkon when he took over. When she found out about Iverson working with a growing rebellion, she wasted no time in joining. “No bad news, I hope.”

“It depends.” Ulaz stated. “Honerva is at the castle.” He didn’t see the harm in divulging that bit of information to the captain. “I need to leave and search for Lotor; he should be nearing our location soon.”

“To warn him to keep away?” Te-Osh inquired. She knew that though the son of Zarkon, Lotor was on their side. With his relation to the corrupt king, the Daibazaal prince was able to get around more easily and help out. He just had to be careful, though, lest his parents find out that he was against them. “Don’t worry; with your hard work and contributions with the potions, we’ll be fine. I wish you a safe journey.”

Ulaz nodded. “Be safe while I’m away.” He grabbed up his cloak and put it on; being an albino, he stood out greatly and the cloak helped him hide in the shadows of the forest.

Metal clashed against metal, the sound heard beyond the trees and in what appeared to be a campsite in a forest clearing. A behemoth of a woman was sparring with a young boy, his sword smashing into her as she blocked his strikes. The boy was Bandor, Romelle’s younger brother and an old friend of Katie’s, at least before the kingdom was taken.

The woman finally struck back with the broad side of her sword, knocking Bandor back and to the ground. She smirked when he sat back up, his breath laboured. “You’re getting better.”

“Better?” Bandor looked up. “You call that better? Had that been a real battle, you’d have fertilized the land with my blood!”

“I said better as in in general. Not better than me.” Bandor pouted at that.

“Zethrid, behave and actually train him, not just tell him to swing his sword and attempt to take you down.” another woman said. “I swear your sadism shows in these little _training_ sessions.”

The women in the group were all skilled warriors. Zethrid was the largest in the group, a warrior of brute force and perhaps one of the most protective. Though she was harsh on Bandor with training she cared for him. He was the youngest and smallest member of the group. To her, as well as the others, Bandor was like a little brother.

Also in the group was Ezor, a skilled assassin with striking red hair. Despite her hair sticking out, she could hide very well, utilizing cloaking magic to get around undetected as much as possible. Then there was Acxa, skilled with the sword as well as a crossbow. She was the most level headed of the group, often giving orders. Narti was the final woman in the group. Blind and mute, it was a wonder she could shoot as well as she did with a bow and use a whip to hit or catch victims. She relied heavily on her sense of smell and sound, able to tell the varying aspects of the forest apart.

Enlisting their help was none other than Lotor, prince of the kingdom of Daibazaal, son of Zarkon and Honerva. A rebel using his name to sneak around his parents, aiming to take them down for the good of the kingdoms and lands. He aimed to find a way to stop his father, take his rite of magic away so he couldn’t use Daibazaal’s magic against anyone anymore.

Watching the others, Lotor was leaning up against an enormous black and off-white wolf. Not that any of them had seen her, but the wolf was bigger than Pidge’s wolf form. A guardian wolf, as Lotor figured from the old legends he would read about as a child. He never imagined that he would one day meet one, having believed them to be extinct. But there the wolf was, clear as day, and traveling with the group.

“I am training him.” Zethrid told Acxa.

“Beating Bandor into the dirt is hardly training at all.” Lotor mused. “And Bandor, when against Zethrid, you must remember that as you are physically, you’ll always be at a disadvantage. She has ancient warrior blood in her veins. She will use her size to her advantage. You must use yours.”

“What size? I’m pretty damn small...” Bandor grumbled. “Ugh. I can’t wait to grow more.”

Lotor chuckled a bit, amused by the younger boy. “A mouse can still best its enemy by using its smaller form against a lumbering cat.” he reminded. “You’re not only small, but your agile and flexible. Duck down and dodge Zethrid’s attacks more rather then go at her head-on; in dodging, you can attempt to throw her off balance and knock her down. Save head-on fighting more for against foes like Acxa.”

“And Ezor?”

“You must be quieter than assassins and diligent of your surroundings.”

“Narti.”

“No noise. Hide your scent. And open your other senses, especially hearing.”

“Guardian.”

Lotor was silent. Guardian was what they called the wolf for what he was. Though rare and, as far as they knew, possibly the last of his kind, Bandor was right to ask. Giant creatures who could fight or attack were something to know about.

“Should a guardian wolf cross your path and decide you’re a threat… pray that you can convince them otherwise or hope that death will be quick, pain will be short or nonexistent.” Lotor explained. “You should know from the stories of old, Bandor. A guardian wolf is not a creature to underestimate. They were once known as the most powerful creatures of these lands in the days of old for a reason.”

“Maybe if you tell me the stories again?” Bandor smiled brightly, looking like the child he truly was. He was only fifteen, after all, still a boy. “Just to refresh my memory.”

Lotor couldn’t help but laugh. “Goodness, I can’t tell the story even half as good as Coran ever could.” He smiled softly. “He could tell stories very well. And keep little Katie entertained and her attention on him.”

Bandor smiled. “Do you think she’s okay?” he asked. “Katie I mean. I miss her… I miss Roland, too...”

Lotor’s smile was sad. Bandor was closes to the youngest princess and Coran’s son. They knew Katie had to be alive, but they also knew Roland was not. While everyone felt the losses, Bandor seemed to feel them the most.

“I’m sure she’s fine. For all we know, she could be getting a knight’s training and be ready to kick some ass in this war.” Lotor suggested, hoping that would cheer the youngest group member up. If it worked, he didn’t know for certain for the guardian wolf snarling caught everyone’s attention. Lotor noticed that Narti only responded after the wolf when the others did. This told the prince that whoever approached was trained, holding grand skills to sneak around.

The wolf wasted no time to get up and spring forward and into shrubs. He didn’t fully attack, but he did pounce whoever was lurking about. The others investigated, seeing an albino beneath the wolf, keeping a straight face.

“Ulaz. Goodness, you need to be careful.” Acxa commented, recognizing the man.

“Clearly; since when did you tame a wolf? And where in the lands could you find such a beast?” Ulaz inquired.

“Guardian, it’s fine. He’s our ally.” Bandor assured, putting his hands up on the wolf’s flank, prompting him to stop growling and back off.

“We didn’t tame him.” Acxa informed. “He just simply found us and tagged along. Not that we mind; hunting goes so much easier with him.” She then helped Ulaz up, the albino dusting himself off. “He’s a guardian wolf. Thought to be extinct, but, well, anything is possible.”

“I see.” Ulaz looked to see Lotor check the wolf, gently run his fingers through the beast’s fur. He knew old stories of ancient beasts of massive size that went about the lands. He just never expected any to still exist and have remained hidden until whenever. “Prince Lotor,” he said, pushing the thoughts from his mind, “I come with an update from the castle.”

“Is it Matt?” Lotor looked worried. “Is he fine? My father hasn’t found Katie, has he?”

“The princess’ whereabouts are still unknown.” Ulaz reported. “And from what I can infer, Prince Matt is still doing as well as can be. But it is your mother. She has returned to Gaia’s castle to interrogate another prisoner, another member of Marmora. I do not know fully what Honerva knows, but for her to come all the way for one prisoner… it cannot be good.”

Lotor sighed. Indeed, that definitely did not seem good. And with his mother at the castle, he knew it meant that he should keep his distance. If his mother ever caught wind that he was a rebel, it would truly make winning the decade long war even harder.

“We will have to search elsewhere for spells and clues then.” Lotor admitted. “But where else to look… I’m running out of ideas.” He shook his head.

“Why not the Olkari province?” Bandor suggested. “Didn’t our families always go there?”

“I doubt we’d find what we’re looking for there; it’s a place my parents would have already searched, too, not wanting others to find counter magic.” Lotor explained. “We’ll figure things out, though.”

“If you have any messages to relay back, I can deliver them.” Ulaz explained.

“No, it’s always the same to Matt.” Lotor sighed. “To remind him to keep his chin up and be strong. Not that anyone needs to tell him.”

Ulaz nodded. He then pulled his hood back up. “Be safe, Prince Lotor. If needed, you know how to contact us.” He took off into the forest, disappearing into the nighttime darkness.

“My prince,” Acxa spoke up, “should we continue to linger in this area? Or try to relocate elsewhere?”

“For now we will camp here as originally planned.” Lotor stated. “We’ll figure out our next course of action after we are well rested. Can you take first watch?”

“I can stand guard.” Bandor chimed, wanting to be of more help.

“Bandor...” Lotor didn’t look like he was ready to let the youngest member keep watch.

“There is no harm in him learning how to stand guard at night.” Acxa assured. “He can watch with me.”

“Very well.” Lotor nodded. “And no complaining, Bandor. You’re still a child and learning...”

“Yes!” Bandor kept his voice down, but he was excited.

“Don’t wear yourself out too early, Bandor.” Acxa reminded, an amused smirk on her face. “C’mon, let’s take up position to keep watch.”

Lotor watched for a moment as Acxa went off a bit, explaining to Bandor how things should be done so that they didn’t miss anything. He then went to the wolf, petting his fur a bit. “I don’t suppose you know where we need to go, hmm?” he asked. The wolf snorted before licking his face a bit. “I guess not.” He hoped he could sleep that night. With news of his mother, he was troubled. Just what was Honerva up to and what did she find out? It was concerning. He honestly hoped it didn’t mean that they found the missing princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!   
> You may be wondering some things, but don't worry, we'll eventually get to them. Until then! How about a size chart? Nothing is fully accurate, I'm not good with sizes, but it's a general idea. And yes, that new wolf is definitely much bigger than Pidge.   
> Anyway! Until next time!


	23. Haxus and the Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haxus, with Pidge in tow, decides to stop in a village. But he's in for a rude awakening when he sees it. Meanwhile, Pidge is biding her time, hoping to escape him before it's too late.

Pidge had a plan. Whether or not it would work or if Haxus would see through her was what she didn’t know. But she hoped it would work.

Haxus was keeping Pidge dosed up, keeping her immobile and from transforming. As well as he thought he was doing, Pidge was pretending that it was lasting longer. He was dosing her less and less, not wanting the potion to take a negative toll on her. That was to be expected, though, Pidge was important and the Daibazaal soldiers couldn’t risk killing her. Haxus included.

“And then it just… blew up, you know? I mean, you should, you work with potions, too. And that one kinda blew up and we had to replace that wall. Gave Mom an excuse to build a new room though.”

Haxus snorted a bit. “That potion can be quite volatile.” he mused. “I’ve made the same mistake before.”

Pidge smirked. As much as she hated that she was captured and being dragged back to the castle for whatever devious plans the enemy had, at least she was stuck with Haxus. She could have been stuck with someone worse. Like Sendak. She couldn’t exactly remember him, but she could tell there was bad blood between them. She felt that if she was stuck traveling with him, it’d be far worse.

“So… the big dude.” Pidge muttered. “The guy with one eye. Sendak? Do you know him?”

“Commander Sendak, yes.” Haxus stated. “I serve under him as his right hand man.”

“Oh.” Pidge was silent for a moment. “So what’s his problem? I get the feeling he doesn’t like me. Though that could just be me looking too much into his comment about taking pleasure in killing me if he was allowed to.”

Haxus was silent. Did she really not remember? He understood that it was a decade ago, but how could even a child forget that night? Then he thought it over. She had fallen. Perhaps she had been hurt and ended up with amnesia? Or the stress was too much? He didn’t know those answers.

He did, however, know the answer to Pidge’s curiosities. “You truly don’t remember that night, do you?” he asked. “The Clan of Marmora tried to escape with you and your older brother. Prince Matt.” Hearing him, Pidge bit her lip. An older brother who was a prince? No, she couldn’t believe that sort of thing; she still wasn’t convinced that she was the princess. Keith was her brother.

Right?

“You originally fell. So much was going on and the commander dove for you, grabbing hold of your arm before you fell too far.” Haxus continued. “Despite keeping you from falling to your possible death, something in your mind must have clicked and not wanted that. Can’t imagine what sort of five-year-old decides she doesn’t want to be saved. So, you used a dagger either filled or laced in poison to stab him in the arm. And then the eye.”

Pidge listened. _If that really was me, go me!_ She actually thought to herself. _Talk about a badass moment, especially since Sendak is a bad guy._

“He ended up dropping you; a member of Marmora I had injured went down after you.” Haxus added. “I wonder if he ended up protecting you; a fall like that should have killed you.” He sighed, thinking back to that day. And the days that followed. “The poison spread in his arm; it was one that no one knew how to treat. So, to save his life, it was removed. And he lost his eye. You may be the princess, but he has hated you since then. He knew they needed you alive, but I think a part of the commander hoped you were dead. Or that you were alive so he could kill you himself.”

“By the moon, all that rage, you’d think I killed his girlfriend.” Pidge sighed. “Well… probably kinda did huh?”

Haxus was typically a calm man, maintaining himself. He was level headed and kept himself in check. But Pidge making that comment, he sputtered and choked; he did not see that coming. He had to stop the horse and get off and catch his breath. Once he could breathe better, he checked the other horse for his water pouch.

“What kind of upbringing have you had to teach you that?” he inquired.

“Should hear Mom on a bad day; she says worse.” Pidge smirked.

Mom. Krolia. The prisoner he took to Gaia. Having put up with her, he could definitely see that. He then cleared his throat once he had his composure. “It’s an interesting comment, I will admit that.” He then pulled himself back up, supporting Pidge so she didn’t fall off the horse. “Anyway, I suggest behaving yourself from here on or the situation could be worse for you.” Pidge raised an eyebrow. “We’ll be stopping through a town.”

“Really?” Pidge questioned. “You’re a Daibazaal soldier. This ought to be good. They would either fear you or run you out, I’m sure. Probably the latter since there’s only one of you.” Despite her sass, she felt this could work in her favour. If he did stop there and he turned his back on her long enough, she felt she could escape. The potion was wearing off and he hadn’t given her another dose in a while. Perfect.

“This town is different.” Haxus admitted. “It’s my home; I’ll be rather welcomed.” Pidge wanted to look back in shock. He was of Gaia?! Haxus could tell she was stunned. “My father is of Daibazaal. My mother from Gaia. It wasn’t at all uncommon. I was born and raised here until I was about sixteen.”

“You learn something new every day.” Though she wasn’t completely fond of Haxus, she did appreciate learning new things. But he was part of Gaia. How could he be fine with helping Daibazaal take over?

Haxus kept going until he got the horse to slow down. He muttered something that Pidge hardly picked up on. She didn’t need to hear him, though. She already knew something was wrong. She may have been, as much as possible, kept immobile, but her nose worked well enough. She could already smell the stench of death.

Haxus stopped when he came upon the village. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened when he saw it had been practically burned down, the structures barely standing. Judging by the state and the lack of embers and what he could see of the dead that remained, it couldn’t have happened more than a month ago.

“No.” he gasped out. He found a place to tie the horses up and put Pidge on the ground, leaning against a post. “Behave yourself!” he ordered before running off. He had to check on something.

He had to check on someone.

Pidge watched for a moment. She then tried to twitch her limbs. She was getting some mobility back. “C’mon, Pidge, you can do this.” she mumbled to herself. “Let’s try to get up.” She got herself turned and rolled a bit, getting to her knees. She pulled herself up with the help of the post, using it for support. She then looked to the horses. She could always take them and leave Haxus stranded, that would help with her getting away while her limbs weren’t quite sturdy yet and she couldn’t shift her form. She was sure she would regret it, she didn’t know a thing about riding a horse and had been relying on Haxus’ support in her situation, but it would get her away quicker and trying to move on her own.

_Are you really going to leave him? Abandon him? Something is wrong._ A small voice spoke in the back of her mind. She should have run off, she was sure of it. Leave him behind and escape. But something was wrong and he was worried.

Pidge sniffed again. Scorched land. Burned down homes. Seared flesh. It was a horrible mixture of scents.

“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” she muttered. She then carefully moved, trying to follow Haxus’ scent. The perk of being stuck with him for quite a few days, she had memorized his scent. It probably also helped that he started carrying part of her scent having been stuck with her. She didn’t have to go too far before she found him kneeling in front of what had to be a home.

“Haxus?” Pidge asked, worried as she saw him there.

“You could have run away clearly.” Haxus muttered.

“My instincts told me not to, I guess.” Pidge went over and managed to sit down, though it was far from graceful, even for a wolf. She looked to the destroyed building in front of her. It was badly burned and falling apart. She could smell herbs and potions incinerated, their natural scents still lingering ever so slightly. “Was this… your home?”

“I was born and raised in this house.” Haxus admitted. “My mother even helped many others give birth here. She was a midwife… she specialized in healing potions...” Looking over, Pidge could see the tears fall down his face. Memories. This was his childhood home and it had been burnt down. “Why? King Zarkon only wanted to protect the three lands. The kingdoms. The people… why would he destroy villages?”

Pidge watched Haxus longer. He was truly confused. He had been led to believe that Zarkon meant well and that he had just been slapped in the face after believing that. To some degree, she felt she could relate. She spent so long thinking she was one person only to find out that she had been another.

“Wolves do not feel greed.” she spoke up. “We desire territory so we may provide for our packs. We protect them. But we do not go about the forest telling rabbits and deer to not fear us, that we won’t hurt them. We do, in a sense. But it is our instinct. Our nature. We hunt so we may survive. But that is life, it dances under the full moon with death. You cannot cherish one without experiencing the other.” Haxus glanced to the girl, curious about where she was going with her statement.

“Humans, though… they do not live the way of the forest. Not always. They develop envy. And greed. They want more than they need.” Pidge let out a soft sigh. “Coran told me that in each of us, there are two wolves. One of light, one of dark. Zarkon has given in to his dark wolf; he craves more than he needs and with that, he will destroy the forest. He will destroy life to get it. He wants power… but only for himself, not to help others.” She looked up at the house in front of them. “This is proof. He does not lead or protect a pack. He destroys for his own gain...”

Pidge continued to sit there for a while longer. “You know… you can attempt to take me back to the castle, turn me over to Zarkon, but I will fight you the entire way. And I will use my fangs and claws if possible.” she pointed out. “Or you can stay out of my way and let me return to the others. I’m sure they’re fine. I hope they are. I mean, Hunk’s strong, Lance is the best shot I know, and Keith is sometimes literally on fire. And Kosmo, well… wolves are not creatures to mess with. They’ve got the group’s back.” She nodded, certain of that. “I’d like to return to them. Or...”

“Or?”

“Or you can come with me.”

Haxus stared. Dumbfounded. He had attacked Pidge. He had his men attack her. He used potions on her to keep her from moving or shifting. He had originally planned to turn her over to Zarkon. Sure, he was now questioning doing that, his trust in the king broken, but he had not planned on Pidge offering him to join her and her group. “Did the potions have a negative side effect?” he asked, squinting and observing the princess. “Did you fall and hit your head trying to come over here?”

“Look, I’m not saying that the others will welcome you, but I’m just making an offer. You can go off and do whatever, too. But attack my group again, then I will sink my fangs into you.” Pidge huffed as she looked away. She sighed. “But… I kinda want you to come with us. You used potions I didn’t know about and they weren’t even listed in the book Lance gave me. You could teach me more.” So, she had an ulterior motive. It was to be expected though, she loved to learn new things.

“Why do you always seek out magic to learn? You’re a skilled mage already.”

“Because, there’s always someone I can help. That’s how Mom raised. Even though I didn’t see the village as my immediate pack fully, not like I see my family and friends, I still like working with potions that could help them.”

Haxus didn’t think he could tell when someone would try to deceive him again or not, already he had been led astray by one king, but something told him that Pidge was sincere. Perhaps it was knowing that she lived more of the laws of the forest than of humans.

“Regardless if you go on your own or travel with us, you should now this.” Pidge looked back over and smiled. “I think your mom might still be alive. I can smell all sorts of things… but I don’t smell burned and decayed flesh in this house. And it would take a lot hotter of a fire to completely destroy a body, which wasn’t possible since you can still see parts of the wooden structure.” She looked to the other buildings. “I smell death in the village, lives were lost, but not as many as there could have been. People escaped.”

Haxus stared. He never thought of that. He couldn’t smell what Pidge did and he didn’t actually go inside the house to check. He was stunned at first, his eyes wide, but then he smiled softly. “She may be okay… my mom may still be alive.” He let out a sigh of relief. “Even after my original plans and what I had done you would give me that kindness. That hope.” He looked to Pidge. “I will search for her another time. For now, though, there are some things I can teach you.”

Pidge smiled brightly. “I appreciate it. Though word of advice? Don’t start calling me _princess_ or any sort of _milady_ crap. By the moon, you do, then I will bite you.” She pouted at that last part. “Just call me _Pidge_ , okay? That’s who I am anyway.”

Haxus nodded. “Very well. Pidge.” He got up. He then held out his hand, letting the mage take it and pull herself up. “We best head back to the Olkari Province; we’ll be more likely to cross paths with your friends along the way or still there.”

“I’ll be able to smell them, too.” Pidge stated. “They’ve got pretty distinct scents. Especially Allura. She smells like flowers, even after trekking through forests with no actual bath. She still smells like them.” She smiled. “It’s a nice scent. Makes her easy for me to find.” She then went back to the horses, walking with Haxus. “Um… since I guess we now have a truce… I’m sorry. For attacking your soldiers and killing them. If I could, I wouldn’t have killed them… I don’t like doing that.”

“You’re a wolf who protects herself.” Haxus was rather reasonable. “It was you instinct to survive.” He moved some of the packs around, freeing up the second horse more. “And… since we’re apologizing… I should give mine as well.”

“Eh, the wounds healed and I outsmarted you and your potion, water under the bridge, you know?” Pidge shrugged.

“No… I mean about your mother.” Pidge perked up. Mother? As in Krolia? Or was he meaning the queen of Gaia? “She had been captured from Wolf Forest… and I personally escorted her to Gaia. She is a prisoner there.”

Krolia had been taken prisoner?! Pidge fought back the urge to growl at the soldier. He was only doing his job and he decided to tell her in the end instead of keep it hidden. As much as she would want to go there and find her mother, try to save her, she knew she shouldn’t. That could only spell disaster.

“Thanks for letting me know.” Pidge sighed. “Mom’s strong. She lives like a wolf. She will find a way to survive until she get free.” She went to the other horse and stared at it. She had technically been riding for some days, at least less than a week, but she had no choice and she had Haxus supporting her. And she knew she had contemplated riding to escape, but she was a bit desperate.

“Given her attitude and inner fire? I have no doubt she’d manage.” Haxus admitted as he pulled himself up on one horse. He then looked down. “Is something the matter?”

“I’m hating not being able to shift right now; I don’t think I can manage yet...” Pidge grumbled. “And riding a horse… yeah, that’s going to be completely different than riding on the back of a wolf...”

Haxus shook his head, doing his best not to chuckle. “Bear with it and try to climb up. Use the stirrups there.”

“Oh, by the moon...” Pidge snarled a bit. “First chance I get, I’m definitely taking my wolf form...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those who know me and my likes and works, you'd know when possible, I do like Haxus changing his ways or being good from the start. And this worked out well in my favour.   
> Anyway! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Until next time!


	24. A Wolf in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Lotor worries about the safety of Princess Katie, Pidge handles herself fairly well. In her journey to return to her group, she finds her feelings all over the place, especially when Lance crosses her mind.

Acxa spotted a Daibazaal messenger bird. While many utilized magic, talking through mirrors, sometimes it was not available or doable in the situation, so messenger birds were used. Spotting it, she docked her crossbow and aimed. Loosing the arrow, it pierced through the bird, causing it to plummet to the ground. She ran off, heading towards its location. Guardian sped past her, tracking its location much easier due to the wolf’s keen sense of smell.

“Good boy, Guardian.” Acxa praised, approaching the bird the wolf stood over. She checked it for a message pack, nodding when she saw a rolled up piece of paper inside. She attempted to open it up but found that it was sealed with magic. “That’ not going to work.” she grumbled as she went through her pack, pulling out a small vial. She poured it onto the paper, breaking its seal. “Predictable bastards.”

Acxa checked the message, frowning when she took in its contents. She then took off running again, Guardian right at her side. She reached where the others had their camp set up, Lotor training Bandor in sword fighting. She cleared her throat, getting her prince’s attention.

“Hmm?” Lotor faltered in his strike, leaving an opening for Bandor. Quick to move, Bandor struck at him; the hit would hurt a bit, but it wasn’t bad; after all, they were only training. The prince was actually knocked back and found Bandor pointing his sword at him.

“I win this round, Lotor.” Bandor smirked.

“That was cheap; I was distracted.” Lotor grumbled.

“All is fair in a war, isn’t that right?”

Lotor smirked a bit. The boy did have a point. He made an effort to teach Bandor that his foes would never play by the rules and neither should he. “Very well, this is your win. That’s enough training for now.” He got back up. “The stream is nearby. Think you can refill the water pouches on your own?”

“Of course!” Bandor perked up. He sheathed his sword and gathered what he needed before running off.

“What did you find, Acxa?”

“A message from one of Sendak’s soldiers being sent to Gaia’s castle.” Acxa handed the paper over. “They have reason to believe that Princess Katie was not only located but also captured by one of his other soldiers, Haxus.” She looked troubled at that news. “Sendak is in pursuit while some of his men are keeping a trail on Princess Allura, last known location in the Olkari Province.”

Lotor was concerned. They actually found Katie? And possibly captured her? That was not good. And with their last known location being the Olkari Province, there was a set area they could be traveling to reach the castle, trying to take as direct of a route as possible.

“We need to try and find and intercept them.” Lotor stated. “We need to pack up camp and head out.” He hoped that they could cross paths and keep either, or both, princesses safe. Not exactly because they were princesses, but because they were his friends, those he knew, and they were a part of Zarkon’s dangerous plan.

“We’ll find them, Lotor. And we’ll make sure neither Zarkon nor Honerva get their hands on them.” Acxa assured, going over and putting a hand on Lotor’s shoulder.

“But Katie may have already been captured.” Lotor sighed. “I don’t know how she’s been living… for all we know she could be helpless… and in danger.”

Acxa knitted her brows. “You heard the same as I did from Matt’s messages. She had severely injured Sendak when she was only five before disappearing.” she reminded. “The Gaia royal family has a way of showing their fangs when needed like the wolves they respect and admire. I’m sure she’s able to manage.”

“I hope so.” Lotor nodded.

As worried as Lotor was, Pidge was actually doing quite well. Or at least as well as she could for someone going numb while riding on the back of the horse. She laid sprawled out in the dirt as Haxus set up the camp.

“Ugh! No herbs but by the moon! Riding a horse does a good enough job making me numb and unable to move.” she whined. Her ears and tail were out, currently going with those until she could make a full shift, deciding to do that later in the evening or by morning. “How do you get used to that? I’m used to riding on a wolf or being ridden on. Not riding on a horse!”

“Didn’t your mother teach you how to ride?” Haxus asked, using two specialized minerals to create sparks, catching some gathered wood and dry grass on fire. He blew on it, getting the fire going. “I would think it’d be common knowledge.”

“Not for a wolf.” Pidge growled.

Haxus grunted, tilting his head side to side, seeming to agree with that. “I suppose that’s fair.” At least he was quick to acknowledge that Pidge was more like a wolf in many ways than a human. Though the ears and tail were hard to ignore in that regard, too. He observed her closely, seeing her tail stick out from under the too-big tunic. “I’ve learned about shapeshifters due to books, as most who know about them have done. Though I was not aware that partial transformations were possible.”

Pidge rolled over to her back and sat up, nearly regretting it with her sore behind. She looked back at her tail, the fur covered appendage wagging softly. Typically her wolf features were hidden, though extreme emotions seemed to draw them out. This time, though, she allowed them out on purpose, wanting the feel for the time being until she could shift.

“Hmm. Since I could first shift, I’ve had times with these out.” Pidge admitted. “Besides, as great as books are, they don’t have all the information. Besides, how common are shapeshifters?

“Not common, as far as I know.” Haxus admitted. “But I have met another.” Hearing that, Pidge perked up, looking excited. That excitement fell, though, when he shook his head, a somber look on his face. “She’s not one you’d want to sit and talk with since she’s after you. Honerva, Daibazaal’s queen.”

“Oh… but… she’s also a shifter?” Pidge asked. “Wow… would I… would I have known that as Katie?” She didn’t like the idea of seeing herself as Princess Katie, but she was still curious about her former life.

“No, I think not.” Haxus informed. “While she seemed to have been one a long time, it seems that she only decided to show it about six years back. Give or take.” He then stood up. “Guard the camp; I’m going hunting.”

“I can hunt.” Pidge twitched her ears.

“You can hunt tomorrow; tonight is my night.” Haxus smirked a bit, looking a little playful. He left Pidge to watch over the camp, quick to go out to hunt down something for them to eat.

When Haxus returned with a rabbit and some mushrooms and wild root vegetables growing in the forest, he decided to set up and fix a small stew. He was thankful he had some of the needed supplies to work with, able to get it going. As he cooked, though, he and Pidge spoke about simple and relatively trivial things. Magic and potions was the main subject, but then it strayed toward Pidge’s group, Haxus curious about how they would respond to him. That then went toward talking about Lance, Pidge sure that thought cautious at first, he’d be accepting.

“Lance is really kind and friendly. He’d get along with anyone really.” Pidge commented. “Or mostly anyone. I mean, many Daibazaal soldiers? No. Not at all. But you? Though a former soldier, he’d probably also see that you’re not like the others.” She smiled brightly. “Even before you changed your mind and quest, you seemed different. More… understanding.” She settled down some, thinking of Lance more.

Pidge didn’t exactly notice, but she really did miss him. Yes, she missed the team, especially Coran and his teachings and Keith for being her brother, but Lance… she truly missed him. Because he was kind? Amusing?

“He is nice, though. Every time we stopped in a town, he would talk with the locals. Helped get us money when selling furs and antlers.” Pidge mumbled, her tone almost sounding bitter. “But he’d get really friendly with them. He seemed especially friendly with other girls.” She didn’t notice the fur on her tail bristling, the extension on her body looking almost twice as wide. “I don’t like it.”

Haxus was alert. He watched as Pidge’s ears were drawn back and her tail bristled, showing her obvious frustration. He then smirked a bit. He knew exactly what this was. “What about when talking with others in your group? How do you feel?”

“That’s fine. They’re part of the team. We know each other. And he just acts as he usually does with them.” Pidge commented, her ears perking again. “But with others… I don’t know. I don’t like it. He’d probably mess up and say the wrong thing or something. Right? I mean, it makes sense. Not that he’s that bad, but still.”

“Mm-hmm.” Haxus went to stir the literal pot, mixing up the food some. “So. How do you feel about him?”

Pidge groaned. Kosmo already talked with her about that. Now Haxus? Was everyone that nosy? “He’s my friend. Part of the pack.”

“What part?”

“Huh?” Pidge looked confused, making a small puppy whine-like sound as she tilted her head to the side.

“I may not understand wolves like you do,” Haxus pointed the spoon at Pidge, “but even I know there are parts to a pack. You have the others that are you friends and family, siblings and such. Then there are mates.”

“Mates…”

“I’m just a spectator from the outside and being introduced to this,” Haxus tasted the broth and nodded before digging through one of the back, locating some bowls they had on them, “but you sound more like a jealous mate, not wanting other potential mates to be around him. You’re ready to bear your fangs and remind them who is on top.”

“I see Lance… as a… m-mate?” Pidge stammered. Was that what Kosmo was trying to get at that day after she audibly snarled in town. Her fur bristled more and her face turned a deep shade of scarlet. “BY THE MOON!” That couldn’t have been possible. Right? “But… but… we’re not courting each other! I haven’t tried courting him!” she asked, flailing her arms a bit.

“I mean, we haven’t been walking close together, our flanks touching. We haven’t nibbled at each other’s furs or throats. And… and...” Pidge was flustered.

Haxus was confused at first, but then he realized that Pidge was thinking like a wolf and not a human. He did his best to stifle his laughter as he dished up the food into the bowls. “Humans do things differently.” That got Pidge to freeze. “They like to buy each other gifts, talk about their favourite things and listen to the other intently, regardless if they understand or not, they compliment each other, and even get jealous when others interact with the one they like.”

Pidge thought it over. The others were commenting on her ears and tail before, but Lance’s words made her feel a warmth the others didn’t provide. She was sure the others were teasing her, but she had honestly hoped Lance was honest about it. Then there was the book. He thought of her when he picked it out and was certain she would love it. And when she was talking about magic or making potions, he listened to her, only interrupting to ask questions about the subject.

“Humans are weird...” Pidge mumbled as she curled up a bit. Her fur smoothed out, but a reddish tinge still found itself lingering on her cheeks. “But… is it possible that… I like him? And he… likes me?”

Haxus smiled softly. It was amusing that Pidge was having this crisis. He found it to be relatively normal, minus the wolf part of understanding how relationships work. In his mind, this was how some young adults should be; awkward and trying to figure out who they liked and who liked them.

“Perhaps you should think it over more. Or talk with him when we finally meet up.” he suggested. He handed the bowl over to Pidge so she could eat.

“Lance… compliments me. A lot. My ears and tail. My magic. My potions. And he bought me a book, thinking I would love it.” Pidge accepted the bowl and tipped it, slurping the contents from it. “And he always listens to me. Sometimes I don’t think he understands a word out of my mouth, but he listens. Not out of politeness but...” She sighed. “And Coran talked about Lance being in love with someone. Was that someone me he was talking about?”

Haxus was definitely amused. “That very well could be the case.” he mused before eating the food in his own bowl. “I think this is good.”

“Good? How?”

“Because, it sounds like love is mutual. Mutual love this early on? That can often be a good sign.”

Pidge nodded a bit. As she ate, she couldn’t help but continue to think of Lance. Thinking of her team in general was nice, especially Keith since they were raised as siblings, but Lance? He made her feel happy. He made her want to sing a song to the moon.

_Maybe… maybe I really do love him._

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this it? Did Pidge finally start to acknowledge her feelings for Lance? Oooh! So excited!  
> Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.   
> Until next time!


	25. Beware of Wolves Jumping Out of Bushes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though Pidge misses her friends, traveling with Haxus isn't the worst thing possible. Meanwhile, Lance and the others are worried, hoping to find Pidge. What they don't expect, though, was to find someone else, too.

If there was one thing Haxus had to admit, it was that seeing Pidge in her wolf form was more amazing when being her ally than it was when she was ready to sink her fangs into flesh. Especially his own. From her shift, which he admittedly did spot a bit of in how her body twisted and contorted in seemingly painful ways, to how she moved so naturally, as though she had never been human before, it was truly remarkable.

Even after meeting Honerva and finding out she was a shapeshifter, a fact not so openly told and kept mainly among loyal soldiers to Daibazaal, Haxus never expected to see another. He felt his only window to knowing about them were from books. Compared to others, though, he seemed to be rather well-versed, understanding Pidge’s needs as a shifter.

All because of books. The thing he and Pidge could actually bond over. Just as she enjoyed any book she could get a hold of to read and learn from, Haxus loved such things. He said he got it from his mother. The gift of reading, as he would call it. She raised and taught him to read and he used that to seek out more knowledge. That knowledge was what made him a good soldier, too. Most Daibazaal soldiers were bigger than the average man and strong, some even skilled in certain spells or elements. While Haxus understood spells and potions, he was smaller than most who worked under Sendak and certainly not as powerful in physical strength. But he was agile and he was cleverer than most.

Though clever and understanding, he was also willing to learn more. And he learned that though Pidge was born and raised a human, she enjoyed the feel of being a wolf, the sensation having called to her. During their travels, he had no qualms or questions about when she would be a wolf. At nightfall, she decided to be human with Haxus, conversing with him. But during the day as they traveled, she was more comfortable walking on four paws than going numb riding on a horse’s back.

**“No offense to you guys.”** Pidge told the horses. **“But riding you? That’s just not what I do. I’m a wolf. I run on my own. I mean, sometimes I’d have Keith on my back.”**

**“No problem, little love.”** one of the horses assured. **“Not a thing all can do. I once had a rider who couldn’t properly ride, kept taking the saddle down with him and that rubbed worse than anything.”**

**“How did you deal with him?”**

**“How else? Grabbed him by the boot, surprised him, then bucked him right off into a pile of dung!”**

Pidge let out a howling laugh, highly amused by that. To be honest, if just anyone were to jump on her back and ride her, especially in a way that hurt, she would probably grab them, too. She was rather picky when it came to who she allowed on her back.

“Hmm.” Haxus had been paying attention to his surroundings. They had come to the edge of one forest and had come across a vast area of fields, grassy plains. There wouldn’t be too many villages between them and the next forest and plenty of ground to run across.

“What do you think, ol’ girl.” He rubbed his steed’s ear some. “Care for a sprint?” Hearing him, Pidge perked up. “I think a run would do you all good. From here across the field, we have a considerable distance to the next forest where we can make camp. Should take less than an hour for you three.”

Pidge wagged her tail. A run. She would get to speed off across the lands. Even if someone spotted her, they would be moving too quick to actually be caught. Snorting a bit, she got ready. She looked to the horses before taking off.

When the horses took off after Pidge, Haxus smiled. He may not have been an animal himself or had the full ability to understand them, but he knew they were pleased with the run, stretching their muscles more and feeling wild and free. Even he enjoyed it, riding with no worries. No goals as a soldier. Just feeling the wind as they sped across the grassy land.

Pidge ran, her paws thundering against the ground. Walking in the forest was enjoyable. But the horses didn’t always like to run and dodge trees. The field, though, they all could run with little to no obstacles in their way; what streams or ditches they would come across would be easy to jump over. It was a feeling she missed and enjoyed. For a moment, it felt like running had made all of her problems disappear.

Except for her missing the group. Missing talking with Coran, learning from him. Missing sitting with her brother and Kosmo, just enjoying the warmth of a campfire. Missing Lance. Missing how he would often make her smile and how he was just so patient, listening as she talked about magic.

She truly did miss him. She wanted to see his smiling face again, hear his positive voice and energy, and just be near. He always had a way of making her feel safe. He may have been a bit of a goofball, but he was kind and fun.

When they came to the next segment of forest, Pidge slowed to a stop. She sniffed around, picking up the scent of fresh water. Grunting, she got Haxus’ attention and prompted him to follow her. Before long, she found a spring. She went over to lap up some water, the horses joining her.

“That seemed like a good run you all had.” Haxus got off the saddle and stretched a bit. He then checked on his horses, making sure they were doing okay and had nothing wrong with their hooves and legs. “Hmm, it’s still a bit early, but I don’t think there’s harm in setting up camp ahead of time.”

Pidge perked her ears up and looked to Haxus. She made a whining sort of noise. Haxus watched and listening, gauging what she wanted. He then nodded. “Okay, go ahead and hunt something. Find our scents when done, I’ll look for an area to set up camp.

Pidge panted before bounding off, heading further in the woods to find their next meal. While she missed hunting with Kosmo, she was grateful that she could still hunt and that prey was bountiful. Even the deer. She tracked the scents, finding a group of bucks, some seeming to fight, their antlers clashing. She watched and waited, deciding the best one to hunt down.

When she was ready, Pidge ran out, scaring the deer. They didn’t know how to fully react, so they scattered. Pidge aimed for one of them that seemed even more confused, especially by the larger-than-average wolf. She then tackled the buck, biting into his throat. She applied more pressure, the animal writhing for a moment before stilling.

Dead. She caught her prey.

She mentally praised herself before pulling her head back. She sniffed the air, tracking Haxus’ scent trail. Nodding, she took hold of the buck again and dragged it along, concentrating on Haxus and the horses. She found the camp just as he started getting a fire started, the scent of burning would not yet greeting her.

“That’s a good sized deer.” Haxus praised. “The antlers can fetch a pretty price. And the fur, too. Unless we plan on keeping that. It’d make a good sleeping mat once cured.”

Pidge nodded before going over to the side. She loved her wolf form, but with camp being set up, it was time to turn human. She was ready to start transforming, but she stopped. A scent caught her nose.

“Hmm?” Haxus looked over before he could get his knife ready to use on the deer. “Pidge? Is something out there?”

Something indeed. Pidge could smell it. Her tail then started wagging. She knew it well and she found it to be familiar. Seeing her tail, Haxus let out a sigh of relief. He then looked up when he heard a soft howl, close but low in volume.

“You know who is coming?” he inquired.

Pidge looked back and nodded.

“Pidge? Pidge!” came a call. Keith. Then the howl was definitely Kosmo.

Pidge was excited. She watched Haxus, pleased to see that he nodded, silently telling her to go on. She then bounded off into the bushes.

Lance was worried. They hadn’t found Pidge nor her trail for a while. He wondered if she had actually been captured and how quickly they could get her to Zarkon. He wondered how far she could have run while emotionally unstable. She just found out she was a princess, most of them just found out, and she didn’t take it well.

“Lance? Buddy?” Hunk asked. Lance didn’t respond. “Yeah… I’m worried, too.”

“What if she’s hurt? What if she’s scared? What if she doesn’t come back?” Lance asked.

“We can’t go asking those questions.” Keith reminded, glancing back at the archer. “This is Pidge we’re talking about. She may be stubborn and sometimes a mess, but she’ll find her way back to us once calm.” He was hoping that was why they couldn’t find them. He didn’t know how he would cope if she was captured. He stopped. “Kosmo?” He saw that the wolf had stopped ahead of them, sniffing.

“What is it, Keith?” Shiro asked.

“Kosmo’s caught a scent.” Keith informed. “What is it buddy, Daibazaal soldiers?” Then the tail wagged. “Pidge?” Kosmo let out a gentle howl. “He’s found her! He’s found Pidge!”

“Oh! Thank the ancients!” Coran let out a sigh or relief. He then stopped and listened, hearing the sounds of breaking sticks and rustling bushes. “Oh. I think she found us, too.”

As if on cue, the others saw the shapeshifting wolf herself burst through the trees and shrubs from the side and closest to Lance. Lance barely managed to recoil and actually shriek, the sound comically high pitched, before he was tackled by the massive wolf. Pidge ended up laying on top of him, his arms barely sticking out from under the bundle of fur.

“I think… that’s the third time this has happened.” Hunk sighed. “Lance? You okay, buddy?”

Lance got his hand turned and thumb up. Yup. He was fine. And getting used to being tackled. Despite getting used to it, it still startled him at first. Seeing the outcome of things, Allura couldn’t help but giggle a bit. Though she worried if Pidge was fine and if Lance was truly okay after being tackled by a three hundred pound wolf, she was glad to see their friend back and that tackling seemed normal.

Pidge got off of Lance and sniffed him before licking his cheek. She whined a bit, but the moment he sat up and scratched around her ears, her tail started to wag.

“We were so worried about you, Pidge.” Lance admitted. “We missed you so much.” He shifted and hugged Pidge around her head, pushing his face into her cheek. “I was afraid we lost you.”

Pidge’s fur felt warm. Lance was worried. He missed her. And he was hugging her. She pushed back, trying to nuzzle him more. **“I missed you, too.”** She grumbled a bit, happy to be back. She then looked to Kosmo who approached her, the other wolf pushing in against her flank.

**“What happened? Did you evade the soldiers?”** Kosmo inquired.

**“Well, sort of.”** Pidge got up and looked over toward where Haxus had the camp. **“I know you guys don’t understand, but follow me. We have a camp set up.”**

**“We?”** Kosmo was confused. He followed after Pidge. The others were confused, but they shrugged it off and did the same.

Pidge went back to the camp, her tail still wagging. Haxus looked up. “So, did you find who you were ho-” Haxus didn’t get the chance to finish when an arrow was abruptly shot toward him, landing on the ground between him and Pidge as she tried to approach her traveling companion.

“Shiro? What’s wrong?” Keith asked.

“A Daibazaal soldier.” Shiro had quickly snagged Lance’s bow and took some arrows. He aimed again at Haxus. “Pidge, back away from him. This man is a Daibazaal soldier. And Sendak’s right hand and most trusted soldier.” He didn’t know what happened between the two, but he had no reason to trust Haxus being there, especially with Pidge. Especially with two princesses within easy grasp. The others were instantly on guard. Where one soldier was, there were usually more.

“Now then, Haxus,” Shiro stated, malice in his tone, “give me one good reason why I shouldn’t put this arrow between your eyes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the third time Lance has been tackled. Right? It's becoming a recurring theme. I think it's perfect.  
> Anyway! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Until next time!


	26. As a Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group isn't as open about Haxus working with them and helping Pidge, but the mage herself defends him and stands up for him. She just hopes she can convince them as a friend and not have to give an order as a princess.

“Now then, Haxus,” Shiro stated, malice in his tone, “give me one good reason why I shouldn’t put this arrow between your eyes.” He had the next arrow ready and aimed. He was prepared to loose it, prepared to kill Haxus on sight. What he wasn’t prepared was for Pidge to snarl at him, her fur bristling. She had backed into Haxus, standing in the way and trying to shield him. “Pidge, back away from him! He’s a dangerous man!”

Pidge huffed and shook her head. She snarled more, hoping to convey the message to the man and get him to back down. But Shiro wasn’t letting up. He didn’t trust Haxus and he didn’t think Pidge should either. “Pidge, you need to understand, this man is dangerous.”

Pidge snorted and shook her head again. She then looked to Keith, her eyes pleading to him. He understood. “Shiro,” Keith moved to get Shiro to lower the tension on the bow, “we should listen to what Pidge has to say. Return Lance his bow and let’s hear her out.”

Shiro sighed and relinquished his aim. He pulled the arrow away and returned both to Lance. Keith then went and grabbed Pidge’s cloak that they had with them. He went to her and covered her as she started the transformation back, covering her for the others’ sake. Once she was back in human form, she closed the cloak around her more.

“Pidge, what’s going on? He’s a Daibazaal soldier...” Keith reminded her of what Shiro said.

“I know that.” Pidge nodded.

“Then why-” Shiro couldn’t understand why Pidge would be with him, defend him, and still know what he was.

“Look, don’t just jump to attack him.” Pidge sighed. “Yes, I know what Haxus is, and yes, he did capture me briefly,” no one liked hearing that, “but some circumstances came up. And he was given options, including taking me to the kingdom, though I promised him I’d fight him all the way. He made his choice to help me, though.”

“Help you?” Shiro asked. “What the hell could this man even help you with?”

“Magic. He knows plenty of potions among other things and he’s willing to teach me.”

“That’s what Coran is doing.”

“And I appreciate that. I appreciate everything Coran has been and will be able to teach me.” Pidge smiled at the ginger haired man; Coran messed with his mustache and looked proud. “But there are things that Haxus knows that Coran doesn’t, and vice versa.” Most of the group didn’t want to admit it, but Pidge definitely had a point. The only one seeming to be in agreement was Coran who was nodding. “Besides, if you’re going to judge him as a Daibazaal soldier, then maybe you should also look at him as a man of Gaia.”

“Wait… he’s from Gaia, too?” Hunk asked. “How is that possible?”

“It’s not at all unheard of.” Coran informed the group. “Prior to Zarkon’s conquest, it wasn’t uncommon for citizens of other countries to fall in love and start families. After all, even Prince Lotor isn’t fully of Daibazaal, his mother was of Altea. It was a good sign of peace and prosperity in the three kingdoms.”

“What could have even happened to make you two even consider this?” Allura questioned.

“That’s not my place to say.” Pidge stated. If Haxus wanted it known, it was up to him to talk about it; she wasn’t going to go blab about the fate of his village and his hope to find his mother.

“I still don’t like this...” Allura looked away.

“Same here. A man doesn’t change that easily.” Shiro grumbled. “And those who do, they’d just as easily stab you in the back. And as a soldier who has trained to protect you, Princess, I cannot allow this.”

Pidge growled a bit. She then shot up and stood, her cloak falling away from her small frame with the fur she shed. “I will not make a command as a princess, that isn’t me, but I do implore you as a friend. Trust me with this. Haxus doesn’t have anything to gain anymore by being our enemy. And he understands the consequences if he does. I’ll bite him myself if he turns on us.” She sighed. “So please…”

“I… I don’t um...” Shiro was covering his eyes. Pidge still hadn’t gotten dressed and it was more than a full moon. “I don’t like this… but I like THIS even less. Pidge...”

Pidge looked down and then back up, her hands on her hips. “Really? I’m a wolf. You’ve seen me before.”

“You’re covered in fur then...” Shiro reminded.

“Pidge...” Haxus held up the clothes and tossed them over. “Not everyone is as open as you.” He looked over to Lance and Hunk; Hunk turned around the moment Pidge stood up and Lance was redder than fire and shielding his eyes, not wanting to eye Pidge in her glory. “And I mean about your lack of attire.”

“Ugh. I work with a bunch of humans.” Pidge muttered as she pulled on the clothing. “But my point still stands. He’ll be a good ally. And he’s been a good traveling companion, even when I was his prisoner.” She sighed. “So please, trust me when I say I trust Haxus. And I want you to trust me as a friend. And only a friend.”

Shiro lowered his hand when he knew Pidge was dressed. “I don’t like this...” he admitted. “But if you’re sure… I’ll do my best. But Haxus… know this, if you do anything to bring any harm to her or even get her captured by others, I will personally be your judge, your jury, and your executioner. Do I make myself clear?”

“Clearer than a running stream.” Haxus responded, though he didn’t look or sound intimidated.

“Pidge,” Keith stood up, “are you sure about this?”

“As sure as I am about not wanting to be called a princess. That isn’t who I am.” Pidge stated.

“But you are a princess, you can’t change that.” Allura informed. “It’s the life you were born to.”

“A wolf is born to one pack, but oftentimes that wolf will move to another or start their own.” the mage countered. “It’s… a lot to take in… me being born to that. But it’s not who I am now.” She shook her head. “I’m Pidge, child of Krolia, the guardian wolf of Wolf Forest, and a skilled mage who is eager to learn more.” She then grinned a bit. “Besides, you guys have been used to me being _Pidge_. It shouldn’t be too hard to continue with that.”

“She keeps making good point.” Coran stated as he messed with his mustache. He then looked around. “So, I suppose this is camp?”

“It seemed like the right place to set up.” Haxus nodded. “And I planned on working to get food fixed.”

Pidge smiled. Though she knew her friends weren’t still open to working with Haxus, they did settle in, thankful to rest and even more thankful to have Pidge back. The mage then snuggled in against Kosmo, happy to have his scent back and feel his fur. “Ooh! It feels good to be back.” she hummed.

“And it’s good to have you back.” Lance sat down next to Pidge and Kosmo. “We were worried about you. But… also not.” He thought it over. “I mean, lots of worrying, but we also knew you’d continue fighting to stay safe like any wolf would.” He rubbed the back of his head. “I’m not making sense, am I?”

Pidge chuckled a bit, snuggling her face into Kosmo’s fur to hide the blush. “You’re making plenty sense. Don’t worry.” she assured. “And I… I worried about you, too. I know you’re skilled at fighting, you’re the best archer I know, but… I still worried.”

Lance went rigid. Did she specify him? Or the group? He couldn’t help but blush. He looked away. “I… I managed. I did well. Got some new arrows, too. And you know… Ryner’s fine, too. She’s still back with her people, but she did well and helped us a lot.”

“Ryner’s okay?” Pidge lifted her head and smiled. “That’s good to hear.”

Haxus looked over to the two, perking up some. “Oh. That’s who...”

“Hmm?” Hunk looked over from working with the deer to prepare it for cooking. “What’s wrong?” He looked to Lance and Pidge. “Who what? I mean, that’s Lance.”

“I see.” Haxus smirked.

“What are you getting at?” Shiro was cautious. He didn’t like Haxus motioning for him to move closer, but he still followed. “What?” The others, saved for Pidge and Lance who were chatting, scooted in, wanting to hear what he had to say.

“I believe your little princess has a crush on him.” Haxus said softly. The others were shocked at first, then amused. Save for Keith. He remained shocked.

“Oh ho, so the feelings are mutual.” Coran smiled, proud to hear that. He then looked to Keith. “Keith? Are you okay?”

Keith sighed. “Yeah. I’m fine.” he said. “I guess I should’ve expected this. I mean, I knew Lance liked her… and she didn’t mind him and enjoyed spending time. I guess it was only a matter of time.” He smiled softly, happy for Pidge. Yes, they were in a serious situation and he didn’t think they could properly court each other yet, but he was happy. Pidge found a good person to fall in love with. As much of a goofball as Lance could be, he was a good person. Kind. Gentle. Even protective. He was definitely compassionate. “Hopefully she understands how to court like a human one day… or Lance appreciates wolf-like actions.”

The others were amused by that. Pidge lived on the cusp of being a human and a wolf. It was often an amusing trip with her, her trying to understand humans and making comments or doing things that were normal to animals. Her mutual love with Lance was bound to be interesting. Especially after he would eventually find out.

“So… who tells Lance that she likes him?” Hunk asked.

“I think we should leave it to those two to figure it out themselves and talk it over.” Coran suggested. “It’ll be good bonding for them.” He looked back over to see Lance return the book to Pidge, the two talking about something. They were smiling brightly, even laughing about something. “We won’t need to worry about how long it would take.”

“I agree.” Allura nodded. “But look at how cute they are. They make a lovely couple.”

“Yeah but… I had a thought.” Hunk lifted his hand a bit. “Pidge is a princess. And Lance is… Lance. Don’t princesses marry princes or lords or something? So...”

“Hunk… this is Pidge we’re talking about.” Keith stated. “Princess or not, you think anyone is going to dare tell her who she should fall in love with or marry? Let alone get away with telling her?” The others were silent before glancing over at the two, still absorbed in chatting.

“Oh. Right. That’s actually a good point.” Hunk nodded.

“For now, though, we should let them be.” Allura told the others. “Let them go at their own pace.” She smiled back at Pidge and Lance before settling in more, getting comfortable. “And we should all rest a bit. It’s been… eventful recently.”

“Well, we can rest after I finish cooking and we eat.” Hunk assured. “And hopefully we’ll sleep well with full stomachs and a little less worry.”


	27. Princess to Princress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The others need to come up with the next part of their plan all while keeping two princesses safe. As they journey back to the Olkari Province, Allura decides to talk with Pidge, girl to girl, princess to princess. Even if one of them doesn't fully accept the reality of her life.

Sendak watched as the cloak shifted and the mound under it grew. It didn’t take too long for Honerva to poke her head out. “Your majesty.”

“I will take up the offer of clothing you gave last time.”

“As you wish, my queen.” Sendak went and personally got the extra clothing for Honerva. Though it wasn’t anything even a noble would wear, boots, trousers, and a tunic, all very simple, but the mage wasn’t fussy. He let her get dressed before offering a hand for her to get up. “Last I knew, one of my men seemed to have apprehended Princess Katie; we were currently in pursuit of Princess Allura.” He smirked. “I have reason to believe Haxus had her captured. He had never let me down before.”

“Don’t underestimate little Katie.” Honerva reminded. “I’ve met her _mother_. I’ve seen her mind. I know how Katie is now. How… Pidge is.” She offered her own ominous smile, showing she had a plan. “Nothing against Haxus, but I would not put it past Katie to escape him.”

“He can handle her shifting, I’m certain.”

“But her cleverness is another thing.” Honerva hummed. “However, I know just how to counter that.” She held up a lock of dark hair. “And I’m going to need the assistance of your men.”

“We are at your service.” Sendak bowed his head.

“Okay. So now that we know our missing princess’ status and location… now what?” Lance inquired. “What do we do now? Storm a castle, tell Zarkon to hit the road, claim victory, then have a parade?”

“A parade? Really?” Keith inquired.

“I like celebrations and parties. Hey, parade not needed. I’ll be happy with a get-together with food, music, and dancing.” Lance shrugged.

“A celebration is always nice. Mom, Keith, and I would celebrate the seasons together and with the wolves.” Pidge chimed. “Ah, the music was nice. The howling of wolves. I loved singing those nights.”

Lance thought it over. He remembered the nights of the wolves howling, the sound rather musical. Now that he thought of them again, he realized he was also hearing Pidge with them. No doubt she’d have been in her wolf form.

“Let’s not be premature about planning parties.” Shiro reminded them, pulling Lance out of his thoughts.

“Shiro’s right. We have the next part of our plan… which has been tricky.” Allura stated. “You see, finding out about Pidge was only part of it. Now we need to figure out stopping Zarkon and Honerva. Having Zarkon’s rite of magic transferred to Lotor instead so he can protect it… and we can try and stop them. I don’t know how yet, but… Lotor’s been looking for spells to use to assist us.” Allura sighed. She didn’t know of Lotor’s status on that mission, but she had fears that it wasn’t going too well. “But finding the right spell and knowing where to look is easier said than done.” She shook her head. “However, for now, Pidge and I have to make sure neither of us are caught. Especially both. If we’re both captured...”

“Staying away from the kingdom and it’s innermost town would in our best interest then.” Haxus pointed out. “And try to shake Sendak. He would most likely be trailing you still.”

“That’s the next problem, yes.” Allura nodded. “How is he even tracking us? Magic shouldn’t be in his favour.” She eyed Haxus, hoping for something. “Any tracking magic involving me should be leading them back to Romelle.”

“Indeed. But there are other members to your group; they could easily try to track Shiro and Coran.” Haxus pointed out. “And some tracking doesn’t need magic. The right hunters in the group, they can follow the trail across boarders, up, down, and through rivers. They can be tricky to elude.”

“Damn.” Allura mumbled. “At least we can do our best to stay safe.” She stood up and looked around. Camp had been packed up and some of the luggage on the backs of the horses. She personally wouldn’t mind riding on a horse, she missed being able to, but she was pleased to know that they could help out in carrying the supplies. She wondered if perhaps one day she could take one riding. She would enjoy that, perhaps even getting Pidge to join them, either riding horseback or running alongside them as a wolf.

A wolf. The princess was a wolf and very much the wild child. In all honesty, Allura had no idea what to expect when she would find Katie. She hoped for more manners, but even as a child, Katie was wild. She was often running around and playing rough.

“Pidge?” Allura hummed a bit as she moved to walk with the mage. “How about we talk as we walk, hmm? Girl to girl, princess to princess?” she asked.

“I may have once been a princess but...” Pidge grumbled. She looked to Lance who was nudged by Hunk, the bigger male whispering to him. Pidge wondered if she could walk and talk with Lance instead, but he looked back and motioned to Allura. Pidge made a whine, but nodded. “I guess… but don’t go calling me a princess. That’s not who I am...”

“But it was who you were.” Allura reminded. “And deep inside you’ll always be a princess. Just like I always will.” She smiled when Pidge growled at her. “You’ll also always be Pidge, the biggest wolf in the forest.” The group set out, deciding, for the time being, to at least return to the Olkari Province, to see Ryner and let her and the others know Pidge was fine.

“I will be honest, though.” Allura admitted. “I had hoped a part of you would remember your life as a princess. And you’d still feel like one.”

“Not gonna act like one now.”

“You didn’t act like one back then, at least not like how I was raised as a princess.” Allura snickered a bit. “You were always playing rough with Bandor and Roland, not that they really minded, it was fun, and always getting dirty, tracking mud around, climbing trees. Well, the royal family of Gaia was always known for being adventurous.”

“Being a princess… it’s still hard to wrap my mind around.” Pidge muttered. “It’s not my life now you know. I’m a wolf...”

“I know.” Alura nodded. “And… there probably isn’t any force that can change that, at least in how you feel.”

“Isn’t there a prince? He can rule the kingdom once this is all done.”

“There is. Matt.” Allura’s gaze was soft. “And he’s your older brother. My guess is the one you read that book with a long time ago, the one Keith didn’t remember at first. Or perhaps ever. He was covering for you.” Pidge shifted uncomfortably. A brother. One who wasn’t Keith. At least she had the constant in her life of having a brother. “Pidge, finding out all of this, learning of your past, it doesn’t make Krolia any less your mother and Keith any less your brother.”

“Huh?”

“I can tell you’re worried. They’re still your family. But so is the royal family.” Allura smiled softly. “They’re your family. A pack you were born to… and a pack that you came to.”

Pidge smiled. “Thanks.” she said. “I guess I still have a lot to learn about and accept, huh?” She looked up at Allura. “But it helps.”

“I’m glad.” Allura smiled. “Even I need to learn to accept things, too. I had hoped when finding Katie, she would be understanding and welcoming to being a princess. Instead I found Pidge. A wolf with an attitude. And a crush on Lance.”

Pidge bristled, her hair fluffing up more and even her ears and tail popping out in alarm. “Who told...” Her eyes widened before she glared ahead at the back of Haxus’ head, the former soldier conversing with Coran; no doubt they were talking about potions and what to teach her next. “Haxus...” she snarled.

Allura giggled, amused. “I think it’s cute. And perfect.” she said. “He likes you so much. His crush is obvious. I think it’s lovely that you both like each other.”

“I was thinking he did… the way Haxus described some things about other humans… they match with Lance and how he acts towards me.” Pidge twitched her ear a bit and poked her fingers together. Looking down at her, Allura thought she was positively adorable. “We talked last night… but not about that.” She was nervous. “I don’t know how to bring it up. I know he likes me… and I’m certain I like him, but… bringing it up...”

“It’s a scary thing, hmm?” Allura mused. “Expressing love.” She patted Pidge on the back. “I don’t know when you should tell him. But I do know when the time is right you’ll know it.”

Pidge smiled softly. “Thanks.” she said. “Thanks, Allura.” Her tail wagged, showing how happy she was. “I hope I can figure the right time soon.”

“You’re smart, Pidge, I have no doubt you will.” Allura assured.

Pidge’s smile grew to wide and bright. When her smile suddenly fell and she looked confused, Allura looked alarmed. Pidge then started sniffing.

“Pidge? What’s the matter?” Allura inquired. The question prompted everyone to stop.

“I don’t know. I caught a sudden scent… it’s.. familiar but...” Pidge sniffed more. Her eyes then widened. Without warning, she ran off.

“Pidge? Pidge!” Allura called after her.

Pidge didn’t listen. She had to find the scent. She stopped now and then, sniffing at the trees. _Follow. Follow. Where are… where…_ Her mind was running in circles like a pup unable to find where it wanted to go. She smiled when the scent grew stronger. _Yes. This way. This way!_ She skidded to a halt when she saw a figure, battered and bruised, leaning up against a tree, catching their breath.

“Mom...” Pidge stared at Krolia. She heard from Haxus that she had been captured, him being the one to take her to Gaia. But there she was, standing. She looked worse for wear, but she was definitely there.

Krolia looked up, her eyes widening. “Pidge...”

“Mom!” Pidge ran over and hugged her mother. “You… I… I heard you were captured. But you escaped… how…?”

“I had to bide my time.” Krolia chuckled a bit as she hugged Pidge close. She then looked up when she heard the others catch up. She smiled at Keith and held out her arm. “Keith...”

“Mom...” Keith smiled softly before running over, joining his mother and sister in the hugging.

“Oh thank goodness she’s okay.” Hunk let out a sigh of relief.


	28. The Scent of Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia returned to the group, but Haxus is suspicious of her. Pidge, though, is happy to snuggle in close to her mother. But a scent she recognizes comes to her nose and changes everything.

Krolia hugged her children, happy to have them back in her arms. “I missed you so much.” She offered them smiles. “But look at you two. Hanging in there and being strong. And sticking together.” She nuzzled them both. “You took care of each other.”

“Of course, we’re a pack.” Pidge pointed out. “And a pack always looks out for its members.”

Krolia nodded. She then looked to Haxus, her gaze turning to a glare. “What is he doing here?” she demanded, moving to shield her children from the former soldier.

“I should be asking the same thing of you.” Haxus responded. “Last I knew, you were a prisoner at the castle.”

“Wait… what?” Keith looked to his mother and then Haxus. “What are you getting at?”

“Why don’t you tell them. Or should I?” Krolia growled a bit.

“We had captured your mother back in the Wolf Forest, I had personally escorted her to the castle of Gaia to be a prisoner, to be interrogated since there was interest in you two.” Haxus was straight forward.

“You what?!” Keith snapped.

“Keith, stop it.” Pidge pulled on his arm. “He already told me this. He-”

“It doesn’t matter.” Keith shook his head.

“Guys, stop. We can’t get worked up.” Pidge told them. “Mom, Haxus is with us now, okay? He… he gave up on Daibazaal and Zarkon. He’s helping us… and teaching me more magic and potions. And Haxus, don’t get hostile. Mom’s free now. She’s back with us.”

Haxus didn’t like this one bit. “Pidge, in all honesty, I do hope that’s the case… but no one’s been able to escape once captured and taken there. Especially members of the Clan of Marmora who are taken prisoner. Not even Prince Matt can do a thing to set them free.”

“I didn’t need anyone to set me free; they made the mistake of underestimating me.” Krolia stated.

“I know we need to keep moving,” Allura said softly, “but we should probably take a break so Krolia can rest.”

“Don’t go fussing about me.” Krolia responded. “I’m tougher than I look.”

“Yes, but Mom, you should rest. You need to catch your breath…” Keith reminded. “And we can have you checked for injuries.”

“No convincing you otherwise?” Krolia inquired.

“Need me to get Pidge to argue with you?” Keith smirked and helped his mother. “Let’s find an area to rest in.”

When they found a clearing to sit and rest, Pidge laid on the ground, letting Krolia brush her fingers through her hair. Having her mother back, she felt at peace. She felt content. She just wanted to snuggle in close, be cared for.

Haxus, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure of things. And honestly? Neither was Shiro. Shiro knew enough about how the kingdom of Gaia was doing and how no one seemed to be able to escape the castle. He didn’t trust Haxus too much, but he trusted him more than Krolia at the moment.

“You’re sure something is up?” Shiro asked, keeping his voice down.

“Certain of it.” Haxus nodded. “But I can’t place it. I don’t know what is being played at… but I’m certain we can’t trust her.”

“Pidge trusts her.” Shiro sighed. “And so does Keith.”

“Hmm...” Haxus grumbled. That was true, but they were also a pair of siblings left worrying about their mother despite knowing how strong she was.

Pidge curled in against Krolia, face pressed in close to her. She drew in her mother’s scent. Though having been imprisoned, she still smelled of the forest and wolves. She smelled strongly of magic and potions.

Magic.

Pidge took in another wiff. There was familiar scent that shouldn’t have belonged to her mother. Another sniff.

_The cat!_ Pidge shot up and scooted back. This alarmed Krolia.

“Pidge? Honey? What’s wrong?” Krolia asked.

Pidge didn’t respond. Instead, she just growled and backed off more. She felt Kosmo push in at her side, snarling as well. He knew something was wrong and he was backing Pidge up.

“Pidge, what’s going on? What’s gotten into you?” Keith asked.

“Who are you?” Pidge snapped.

“What are you getting at?” Krolia was worried. “Pidge...”

“You’re not Mom! There’s a scent on you… I’ve smelled it before… and it certainly isn’t my mother’s.” Pidge explained. Hearing her, Lance was quickly on guard. He had no reason to distrust Pidge’s senses, especially that of smell; he was quick to grab his bow and get ready with an arrow, though he didn’t take aim yet.

“Pidge, settle down. Mom had just been captured; another scent could have rubbed off on her.” Keith tried to rationalize. “Maybe it’s… it’s a scent you recognize from… back then.” Keith hoped to get through to his sister, but she wasn’t backing down.

Pidge didn’t know how else to explain the situation. All she knew was that she couldn’t trust this Krolia. Haxus was right to distrust her from the start.

While Pidge was snarling, Lance kept his senses open. He then realized it. They were surrounded. It had to be an ambush. He then glanced toward one of the trees. _There._ He thought. He quickly drew back his arrow and shot in that direction. It caught everyone off guard, especially when it hit something with a _ching_ sound and bounced away. It had hit something metal.

Sendak jumped down from the tree, smirking. He had been seen through. Seeing him, Pidge bristled further, her growling more audible than before.

“Well, looks like the cat’s out of the bag. Or should I say the wolf?” Sendak looked menacing as he smirked. Before Pidge could react, Krolia struck with magic, casting a strong fire spell around them, keeping everyone cornered as more soldiers dropped in. Sendak stepped toward Pidge, ready to apprehend her. Shiro, though, was quick to move.

Shiro had his sword drawn and went at Sendak, quickly blocked by the man’s enchanted arm. He did his best to defend the princesses, but Sendak was not backing down. He kept his focus on the biggest threat, or at least who he assumed was his biggest threat.

He didn’t expect Krolia, or whoever she really was, to also attack. Shiro cried out in pain as electricity coursed through him. Magic. The false Krolia used some sort of lightning magic to attack him and knock him down. “Who… are...”

“Hmm.” The false Krolia smirked. She then looked to see Pidge looked ready to try and shift. Before Pidge could manage that, she shocked the mage, making her muscles tense and her joints seize, keeping her from changing form. “Nah, ah-ah, we can’t be having that now.” she cooed. She then looked to Sendak. “Take her. But remember not to kill her.”

“Oh, but I will definitely immobilize the brat.” Sendak would enjoy that. He ran at Pidge and using his enchanted arm, he shoved her down into the ground. She didn’t even have a moment to regain herself from the electricity that coursed through her before she was practically eating dirt. She let out a pained howl as she was pushed down onto.

“Sendak, mind yourself.” the false Krolia reminded.

“Of course.” Sendak nodded. He then picked Pidge up, his enchanted, magic hand large enough to grab her by the waist; or perhaps it was because she was just tiny. Pidge sobbed, pain filling her. “Go ahead and cry, that’ll only satisfy me. Though it won’t make up for what you did to me.”

“Piss… off...” Pidge managed grumble. She whimpered when Sendak squeezed more.

Lance was focused on taking out what soldiers he could, shooting ones further away while Hunk had him covered, handling those who were near. He felt a sensation and looked to the opposite side of the ambush zone. He saw Pidge in Sendak’s grip and the not-Krolia smirking. As capable as Pidge was, he could tell then and there that she needed help.

“Don’t you touch her!” Lance darted to the side to get a clearer shot. He aimed his arrow and shot at Sendak. As good as his aim was, Sendak shifted a bit, getting the arrow to lodge into the bicep of his biological arm. This caused the bigger male to look over and glare. It hurt, yes, but it didn’t hurt enough to deter him from the attack.

“Little pest.” the false Krolia grumbled. She waved her hand at Lance, setting his arrows all on fire and destroying them.

Lance was without arrows. But he still had his bow and Pidge was still in danger. And more than Sendak, not-Krolia was definitely a threat. His gut told him at that moment that she was an even greater threat than the rest of the ambushing soldiers. Magic. It was dangerous in the wrong hands. But in the right hands... “Please… give me the strength to protect the others. To protect Pidge.” he whispered. He held up his bow without an arrow and pulled back. As he did, there was a shimmering in a line. “Please...”

Lance felt a chill, but it didn’t feel bad. It felt like his body was going cold, but he felt comforted by it. He pulled back more as ice formed into an arrow. Before anyone could notice or respond, Lance let it loose, though this time it wasn’t at Sendak. It was at not-Krolia.

Not-Krolia didn’t expect the strike or an arrow to stick out of her side. She didn’t expect the feeling of ice to fill her. She especially didn’t expect the spell and glamours on her to disappear, shatter like a sheet of ice being dropped, revealing her true form as Honerva. When she collapsed, Sendak’s good eye widened.

“Your majesty!” he shouted. He tossed Pidge to the side, causing her to yelp, before checking on his queen. “Soldiers! Retreat!” The moment he gave the order, a soldier threw a potion at some of the flames, causing them to go down in that section. It was there that the Daibazaal soldiers ran off, even Sendak. Before the flames went back up, Sendak cast one last look at the group, especially Haxus. Betrayal. And hatred. The flames returned and he was out of sight and fleeing with the queen of Daibazaal.

“We need to get out of here before those fires close in.” Haxus stated.

“On it.” Keith nodded as he tried to control all the flames through his own magic. He tried to put them down, but the magic used in them was too much for even the elemental. “This is beyond my skill.” He hated to admit it, but it was true.

“Keith, can you put them down as much as possible? I… I think I know how to do the rest.” Lance offered. Keith nodded and did so, lowering the flames some, but struggling to hold. Lance focused on the feeling he felt before. He focused on the chill he remembered. He held out his hands and slowed his breathing. When he lowered them, frost started to form, smothering the flames. He didn’t think he could do it on his own, but Keith reducing their power helped.

Once the fires were down, Lance ran to Pidge, checking on her. “Pidge? Pidge, can you hear me?”

“Yeah.” Pidge shifted and tried to sit up, but she whined.

“Guys, she’s hurt.” Lance reported.

“Haxus, Allura, check on Shiro!” Coran actually ordered before running to Pidge. “Okay, dear, just lie still.” He checked her, gently touching around Pidge’s torso.

“Hurts...” Pidge winced.

“Does it hurt to breathe?” Coran inquired.

“Not really. Only when I take too deep of a breath.” Pidge grumbled.

“Coran, is she going to be okay?” Keith asked, worry filling him. He looked over to see Allura and Haxus checking on Shiro. He was thankfully sitting up and shaking his head to clear his senses; Allura tried to help him, but a yelp showed he was still statically charged. Overall, it looked like Shiro was fine. “Coran...” He turned his attention back on the ginger haired man.

“She’s definitely got bruising and I think some broken ribs, but given her magic, Pidge will recover. She’ll need to stay still for a while so her magic and heal her.” Coran declared.

“We can’t stay put… we should move before those guys come back.” Pidge grumbled.

“You’re in no condition to walk.” Lance reminded.

“He’s right.” Coran nodded. “We could have you carried.”

“No. No carrying. Just… Give me a moment. I’ll be on my feet in no time.” Pidge sighed.

“She’s going to be stubborn...” Allura mumbled. She knew Pidge moving too much and on her own could be bad.

“Hmm… I have an idea.” Haxus perked up. He went through supplies on his person, thankful for it being on him since the horses ran off; he didn’t think they went too far and he could find them after a bit. He got the same potion he used before to keep Pidge immobile. He poured some into a rag. “You’re going to hate me fore this.”

“No. No no no! Not again! Dammit!” Pidge tried to struggle, but moving hurt. She couldn’t fight him off as he put the potion to her nose and mouth, causing her to inhale it. “Screw you...” She went limp. She couldn’t move.

“It’s for your own good.” Haxus stated.

“What did you use on her?” Allura asked. “She’ll be okay? Wait, you used it before?!”

“When I took her as my prisoner, yes.” Haxus responded. “It’s relatively harmless as long as we keep an eye on her. It’ll keep her from moving.”

“A good idea, now she can’t aggravate her injuries more.” Coran declared, pleased. “Hmm. We have our cloaks still. And we can get branches.” He planned to make a stretcher to carry Pidge on.

“We also need the horses back, but they shouldn’t be hard to find.” Haxus said.

“We’ll find a place to camp in then. Or perhaps a nearby town so Pidge can rest in an actual bed.” Allura suggested. “Haxus, Hunk, do you two think you can find the horses?”

“A good suggestion.” Haxus dipped his head. “I’m sure I can find them. And Hunk’s assistance to lead them in would be good.”

“Take Kosmo, too; he can find our scents and lead you back to us.” Keith added.

“We’ll see you soon then.” Hunk told the others. “And take care of Pidge. And Pidge, no biting anyone.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Pidge grumbled. She smiled when Kosmo nuzzled her cheek and licked her. “Go on, buddy. Help them find the horses.”

Coran watched Hunk and Haxus go off to locate the horses. He then went around to get what they needed. “I’ll get this fixed up quick and we can move Pidge safely.”

Lance looked back to Pidge. “It’s going to be okay.” he reminded. “Just bear with it.”

“Yeah.” Pidge smiled softly. “Thanks for helping. I know it was your magic with the ice.”

“Looks like I found my magic.” Lance smiled at Pidge. He was sad she was hurt and proud he had magic, but most of all, he was happy she was going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Don't you touch her!"   
> Yes! Lance got to use that beautiful line! And on top of it? He has magic! His magic came through when he needed it most.   
> Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!  
> Until next time!


	29. About Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the others decide to stay at an inn so Pidge could properly recover, Lance and Pidge are left alone to talk while the others go out to gather more supplies they would need on the next part of their journey.

“An inn? Are you sure?” Keith asked. He wasn’t sure of things, cautious of staying in one.

“Pidge will rest better in one. And it won’t be for long; in a few days, she should be good to move on her own without pain.” Coran informed. “It’d be a good place for all of us to rest.”

“And if Sendak returns and attacks this town?” Keith questioned.

“That was Honerva that Lance injured.” Allura spoke up. “Sendak won’t act until she’s fully recovered; as cruel as he can be, he’s loyal to his king and queen. She may be a powerful mage, but it’ll take time for her to recover, too.” She looked to Haxus, the former soldier having caught up with them at the edge of a town after he and Hunk got the horses back. “Right?”

“Sendak was also injured. And now that Honerva has faced the group herself, she’d have to rethink whatever plan she made to try and capture you and Pidge.” Haxus informed.

Allura nodded. “So we can rest for a few days then. Get our strength and think more on what to do next other than go back to Ryner’s place.” she said.

“I suppose.” Keith nodded.

Getting a couple of rooms was easy for the group. Getting the innkeeper to allow Kosmo to go in with them instead of being locked up in a cage in the stable? Well, Coran had that handled.

“You see, my niece is easily frightened and has only truly sought comfort in the presence of the wolf. He’s a decent fellow you know, wouldn’t hurt fly. Well, unless that fly hurts my little one.” Coran told the innkeeper. “Now you wouldn’t be the sort to separate an injured and frightened child from her greatest companion, would you? Oh how her parents would toss and turn in their graves if they heard of this. They made sure she and the wolf were raised together so they would bond. And now...” Coran brought out a handkerchief from a pocket and wiped the tears he manage to conjure. The man was a natural.

“Please, sir, it’s… well, if you’re sure the wolf won’t be a bother to the other guests.” the innkeeper responded. “I wasn’t aware of such life...”

“Thank you, good sir. We’ll make sure he’s well behaved. Thank you.” Coran nodded before leaving, going with the others to their rooms. He then grinned. “And that,” he said softly, “is how it’s done.”

“I’m impressed.” Lance smirked. “And it got us to keep Kosmo close.” He then raised an eyebrow. “But Coran? How did you make it so believable? I mean, I get part of Pidge’s life already but...”

“The trick is to spin in as much truth as possible and to believe in the idea to sell it.” Coran declared. “Plus, people like him fall for sad stories involving family and children, especially when they can see the child.”

Once in one of the rooms, Shiro laid Pidge out on a bed, helping her to get comfortable. “How are you feeling, Pidge?” he asked.

“I think the herbs Coran gave me for pain is helping. That or Haxus making me immobile actually numbed me further.” Pidge commented. “And I’m hungry…” She grumbled a bit when Haxus helped to set up pillows so she could be supported some and sit up a bit. “I want to hunt.”

“No shifting for a while.” Coran reminded. “Those injuries you sustained are going to hurt far worse in trying to shift. I can see what can be fixed up downstairs or at the tavern, okay?”

“Fine.” Pidge mumbled. She smiled when Kosmo climbed onto the bed and curled up beside her. “Hey buddy.” She couldn’t move her arm to pet him, but Kosmo didn’t mind, just being there was nice.

“We should check over our supplies. And replenish what we need while in town.” Allura said. “Especially for potions and ingredients. I have a bad feeling that they’ll be sorely needed.”

“Someone should wait here, _hold down the fort_ pretty much and keep Pidge company.” Keith stated. “Lance, I volunteer you.” Lance sputtered a bit in response. “I’m going to sell some of the pelts and antlers from hunts.

“Haxus and I can get ingredients for potions.” Coran stated. “Pidge? You’ll be fine without us?”

“I’ve got a two hundred pound wolf and an archer here. I think I’ll live.” Pidge responded. She smiled when Coran leaned in to kiss her forehead; though he spun a tale and lied to get the innkeeper to let them have Kosmo in the room with them, he was fairly honest about Pidge and his relationship. Though not actually kin, they did share a familial-like bond, him being like the uncle and her being his niece. She liked that with their relationship.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” Lance stated.

With the others knowing that things would be okay, they departed, stepping out to get other tasks done before they would turn in for the day. Lance then sighed. Left alone with Pidge and a two hundred pound wolf. What could possibly go wrong?

“Heh. What I wouldn’t do for a novel to read.” Lance chuckled a bit. “I mean, I could always read your potions and spell book to you.”

“I’m fine without being read to.” Pidge tried to smile, but it looked forced.

Lance could see the force behind the smile. More than that, he could feel something was wrong. Was it the necklace Keith gave him? Or was it his connection with Pidge, his love for her? He didn’t know. What he did know, though, was that it had to do with Krolia, or rather the fact that Honerva posed as her.

“Pidge? Want to talk about it?” Lance asked. “I know you’re worried about your mom...”

“That other mage… Honerva… she’s what I smelled before. I smelled something familiar on a cat...” Pidge mumbled. “Haxus did tell me she was also a shapeshifter...” She sniffed a bit, though it was more of a sad one than one seeking a scent. “She… she posed as Mom. She tricked me. What if… what if Mom is...”

“C’mon, Pidge, this is Krolia we’re talking about.” Lance stated. “While… while I don’t know if she can escape the castle, I do know she’d find a way to survive.” He offered one of his most reassuring smiles. “She lives the way of the wolf. Nothing is going to stop her from surviving and returning to you and Keith. Slow her down, probably. Stop her? Someone is going to get bit.”

Pidge chuckled a bit, pleased with that response. She hissed in pain, the laughter making her ribs ache. “Thanks, Lance.” she said. “You always know how how to make someone feel better, huh?”

“Part of my charm. And if it works on you, then I’ll consider myself blessed.” Lance stated.

Pidge wondered if this was the right time. The others were gone and Kosmo was fine to talk in front of. “Hey… Lance?”

“Hmm?”

“I like you.”

“I like you, too, Pidge. We’re fri-what?”

“I… I was thinking of things. How you make me feel and how you act around me. And… I think I like you.”

Lance’s jaw dropped. Pidge liked him? The same Pidge he had been crushing on for so long? The same Pidge he still liked, not even caring when he found out she was actually a girl and not a boy? She. Liked. Him?!

“Okay, what herbs did they give you? Are you delirious?” Lance moved and checked Pidge’s forehead and cheeks. “No fever. Stick out your tongue. Is it covered in spots? Did you lick anything weird aside from yourself?”

“Lance!” Pidge growled. “Ugh! By the moon! I! Like! You! Okay? Like wanting you as my mate kind of like, not just a member of pack sort of like. How else do I need to explain it?” She hugged. “Ugh. Stupid potion. If I could, I’d roll over and hide under the covers...”

“You… actually like me?” Lance’s voice sounded distant though he was sitting right there and next to her. He then moved and took Pidge’s hand into his own, holding it. “I like you, too. A lot. I didn’t want to push, though. If you didn’t like me like that, I would be fine. If you did, I wanted you to go at your own pace.”

“Well… I did go at my pace. Even if I stumbled over my own paws at times about it.” Pidge admitted. “It took time to understand my own feelings. Things are different for wolves than they are humans.”

“I can imagine.” Lance moved forward, kissing Pidge on the cheek. He pulled back to see her look of surprise. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to move so quick.”

“No it… just…” Pidge flushed. “It was nice.”

Lance felt his cheeks go warm. He kissed Pidge on the cheek and she didn’t mind. He neared her once more, hoping for another kiss.

Then the door was pushed open. “Hey! Pidge, I brought back some food.” Hunk cheered. He then looked to see Lance on the floor and Pidge blushing. “Hmm? What’d I miss?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” Lance got up and dusted himself off.

“Anyway, since Pidge is still unable to move-”

“I’m going to bite Haxus’ hand for that later.” Pidge growled.

“-can you handle this? I still have some things to check with and make sure we have supplies.” Hunk requested, handing the bowl of stew over to Lance.

“Sure thing.” Lance nodded as he accepted the bowl. He then sat back down and watched Hunk leave. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“I don’t mind. Just don’t make it weird.” Pidge said, smiling. She would laugh, but she didn’t want to make her injuries worse.

Kosmo kept his eye on the two. He seemed to smirk and roll his eyes, as though to say _about time._ He was proud, though. They finally said the words and came to terms with things. He sniffed a bit, picking up scents aside from the stew. Hunk left the room, but he was near the door and probably listening. As were Keith, Shiro, and Allura judging by the scents. He made a scoffing noise before settling in, letting Lance take care of Pidge so she could eat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally said it.   
> The two finally admitted to each other that they liked one another.   
> It wasn't graceful, but it was about how one would expect those two to handle it.   
> Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!   
> Until next time!


	30. A Magnet for Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Pidge feeling better, the team sets out, aiming for the Olkari Province to figure out the next plan from there. But in the forests as they walk, another creature lurks.

“Coran, is this a good idea? Do you think Pidge has recovered enough?” Allura asked, watching Pidge out of the corner of her eye, seeing the mage in wolf form and stretching before flopping herself down on the ground, rolling in the dirt. “Goodness, I hope we can stay in another inn soon. She’s going to need a bath...”

“It’s actually good for her at this point, get herself nice and strong again.” Coran informed. “Don’t worry about it, Princess.” He then looked to see Pidge on her back, Hunk actually crouching by her and rubbing her belly. Though a human, she definitely gave in to her nature as a wolf.

Lance looked over to see Pidge enjoying herself. It warmed his heart, especially when she finally flopped down and rolled around. She was like a puppy. What caught his attention the most, though, was Hunk rubbing her stomach. Touching Pidge? Touching the girl he loved? She was his girlfriend! Or at least he assumed so. It seemed rather implied when they admitted to their mutual love for one another.

“Anyway!” Lance spoke up, his voice a bit louder than it should have been, though it did enough to get everyone’s attention, “we should get going. We spent a while in town, but need I remind anyone that we’ve got a pissed off soldier and a scary evil mage who would probably want most of us dead?” Lance didn’t want to sound petty and show he was jealous, that he didn’t want others touching Pidge, even in a friendly manner like that, and he respected Hunk as a friend and like a brother, he didn’t want to hurt his feelings; he had hoped that his choice of words was right to put them on the right track and to stop the belly rubs.

“Lance is right.” Shiro nodded in agreement. “We do need to get moving and cover as much ground as possible before nightfall.” He finished with helping Haxus get the supplies loaded up on the backs of the horses. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”

“Man… what I wouldn’t give to just… appear there or something.” Hunk sighed as he stood up and stretched. “Hey Pidge, what are the odds that you can turn into a giant bird and fly us there?”

Pidge made an audible noise of confusion and tipped her head to the side. She huffed and shook her head, certain she wouldn’t be able to. **This is the form I know,** she informed the others despite them not understanding, **I don’t think it’d work. It’d take too long to figure out. Besides, me? Covered in feathers? Ugh.** She sneezed. **See? The thought of it alone makes me sneeze!**

“I feel like she’s said something… but I don’t know what...” Hunk admitted.

“Hmm… she may not like feathers.” Haxus mumbled as he finished securing everything. “Anyway, let’s get going.”

“Well, he has no problem in getting the group to make headway.” Allura mumbled.

“He’s found himself quite at home in our little group.” Coran was more amused than the princess.

With that, the group went on, making headway back to the Olkari Province to figure out their next course of action. Lance walked alongside Pidge. Though she wasn’t much for conversation in her wolf form, at least not one he would understand, it was pleasant just being at her side. As they walked, he put his hand up and pressed against her fur, feeling just how much it sunk into the mass of fluff.

“I wonder what we’re gonna do after we get back to Ryner.” Lance sighed. “I mean, it’s not like we can hide there… they’d find us with ease again.” Pidge nosed Lance, pushing his hair a bit and squishing his cheek. “Even that Sendak guy, huh? I get the feeling he doesn’t like you.”

**That’s an understatement.** Pidge snorted a bit. **If it weren’t for the fact that he isn’t allowed to kill me, I’m certain I’d be at the top of his murder list. Shortly followed by Haxus now.**

“Ugh… that Sendak guy. He’s the worst!” Hunk groaned, overhearing Lance mention him; he wasn’t that far ahead of Lance and Pidge. “Didn’t I smack him into the bakery? And then him showing up at the estate. Though I sure hope Miss Lucille doesn’t figure out it was me that broke the window...”

“Hunk, even if she figures it out, I don’t think she’ll mind. All things considered.” Lance chuckled. “But yeah, that guy is pretty bad.”

“I don’t even know if I can probably think about cooking with him dwelling on my mind...” Hunk whimpered.

“Sure, then we can have Keith cook.”

Hunk perked back up after Lance’s comment. “No! Absolutely not! That heathen knows nothing about properly cooking.”

“Hey, I’m right here! And it’s cooked, isn’t it?” Keith asked. “It’s not like I serve it up raw for you. That’s Pidge’s thing.”

Pidge snarled a bit. **I’m a wolf, of course I have my food raw.** She reminded. She stopped a moment to stretch before pouncing forward. She growled a bit as she shook one of her paws.

“Pidge, you okay?” Lance asked.

“She’s probably sore.” Haxus responded. “She’s been cooped up for a while. Anyone would be stiff and sore, but Pidge being a while animal like she is, she needs movement.” Pidge huffed a bit as she nodded, agreeing with the former soldier. “Running around and pouncing while we traverse would do her good.”

“Ah, I get it.” Lance nodded. “That makes sense.” He rubbed around one of Pidge’s ears. In her human form, he would feel awkward, but he was sure it was fine while she was a wolf. “I guess being bedridden was really hard on you. But now you’re back on all fours.”

“Just gotta hope she doesn’t pounce on you, Lance.” Hunk snickered a bit. “Though! It would be cute. The lovebirds constantly colliding.” Lance blushed profusely while the others couldn’t help but laugh, amused with the remark. “Maybe that’s why she keeps tackling you, it’s the Fates telling us that you two together is destiny.”

“Hunk!” Lance whined, covering his face. “Stop!” He loved Pidge, that much was obvious. But he was embarrassed when teased.

Though Pidge was being teased too, in a sense, she was more amused by Lance’s reaction. She also found him to be adorable as he blushed, his scent changing in response. **He doesn’t mind my tackling much, either.** She mused.

**Probably wouldn’t mind you tackling him in human form, too.** Kosmo responded.

Pidge’s fur fluffed up more. **Kosmo!** She let out a wheezing whine.

“Huh? Pidge?” Keith looked back at his sister.

“I get the feeling that Kosmo teased her, too.” Haxus snickered a bit.

“Haxus, you seem to know what Pidge is _talking_ about in that form, huh?” Allura asked. “Running on the assumption that you’re correct, that is.” She looked to the newest member of their group. “How is that? Can you understand her? I heard that some people can understand animals but...”

“It’s not like I understand her, not the way we understand each other.” Haxus informed. “But rather I pay attention to the sounds an animal makes, how they move, even subtle actions like blinking or the twitch of an ear play a part.”

“Where did you learn this?” Though cautious, he was new and a former Daibazaal soldier, Allura was still curious.

“My mother taught me.” Haxus informed. “She raised me around magic and hunting, she always told me I could find some of the best ingredients and prey by watching animals and learning from them.” He smiled softly as he stroked the face of the horse he held the reigns to. “It also helps that while I don’t look it, I actually like animals and enjoy paying attention to them. You can learn so much from them. Like how this mare is fond of you. Every time you come nearer, she tries to pull your hair or clothing. She’s caught a scent on you she’s fond of.”

**Yeah, and that scent is how I’d be able to always find Allura!** Pidge called ahead.

The mare that Haxus had with him whinnied and nodded. **Tis a memorable scent, little love.** The mare responded.

Haxus looked back at Pidge before up at the mare. He chuckled a bit before looking to Allura finally. “And no, I don’t know what they said. But given context? It could be about your scent. But I’m sure it’s all good.”

Allura couldn’t help but chuckle in response. Though she was still cautious, Haxus definitely did find a place in their group and seemed decent. At least she wasn’t worried; if he did wrong, she had no doubt that Pidge would handle him. “That’s remarkable.” she said. “So Pidge can probably talk to other animals, huh? Not just wolves?”

“Shapeshifters are strange.” Haxus admitted. “But during our trek before coming across you guys, when in wolf form, she seemed to talk a lot with the horses.”

“And with other animals back in the forest.” Keith chimed in. “She definitely understands them in that form.”

“But not as human?” Shiro asked. He looked back to see Pidge shake her head. “I wonder why...”

Pidge tipped her head to the side in confusion. She wondered, too, now that it was brought up. Perhaps the ears of a human were different, unable to hear the true voice under the sounds animals made. Her pondering of the idea was interrupted, though, when a scent caught her nose. She stopped in her tracks, her ears twitching. Something seemed off. There were new scents that were approaching, but they weren’t ones that she found entirely familiar. Some scents lingered, feeling so distant in the back of her mind, but it didn’t leave a sense of dread in her gut.

**Who are they… I don’t feel danger but...**

“Huh?” Lance noticed Pidge had ceased walking and looked back. “Pidge, what’s wrong?” That was enough to stop everyone else. Pidge snarled a bit. Though not as aggressive sounding, it was enough to tell the others that there was company near. Whether they were good or bad, she didn’t know.

No one was willing to take a chance. They had enough trouble in the past, they didn’t want to risk it. Weapons at the ready, they were prepared. Lance even had his bow out, docked and ready with an arrow.

No one knew what to expect to burst from the foliage, though they could say that what they didn’t expect was a wolf that made Pidge seem small to come through. Darker furred with cream coloured marks and underside, the wolf was massive.

And it tackled Lance to the ground, laying down on top of him without missing a stride in movement. All that stuck out was Lance’s hand, fingers twitching and barely grazing the bow he dropped in shock.

The others stood in shock. They didn’t know if this creature was dangerous or not, if it was a threat or not. But in their stupor, they couldn’t really find themselves able to react.

Then Hunk spoke. “Lance? Um… you okay, buddy?” he asked. Lance still heard him and that hand turned upwards, fingers curled in and thumb poking out. “Okay… good to know.” He was still stunned. But that didn’t stop his wit and humour at least. “Well… at least we know it’s not just a Pidge thing. I think you’re just a magnet for being tackled by massive wolves...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lance really does get tackled a lot. And by a much larger wolf? Oof. Good thing he's sturdy. Right?  
> Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!  
> Until next time!


	31. Two Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The others learn that Pidge isn't the only giant wolf roaming around. After meeting another wolf, the group meets other allies and plans begin to form.

No one expected to come across a wolf much bigger than Pidge. To them, Pidge was unique, called the _guardian wolf_ but was in truth a shifter. But there he was, the wolf in all of his massive, fluffy glory.

And the bugger was laying on top of Lance.

Somehow him being pinned by a wolf was a little more expected.

In all that, though, it was a relief to see that the wolf wasn’t hostile. He seemed rather peaceful as he laid there. When he seemed to realize what he did, he got up and whimpered a bit. He sniffed at Lance, nudging him some.

“Yup, I’m fine.” Lance sat up. “Holy crow.” He stared in shock as he looked to the wolf, taking in the massive face. “That’s… that’s a really big wolf.”

“Where did it come from?” Allura asked in shock. She then looked to the shrubs, hearing more rustling.

“Guardian? Guardian, what’s gotten over… you...” Lotor stepped out. He looked to the others, his gaze eventually falling onto Allura. “Allura...”

“Lotor?” Allura smiled. “It really is you!” She ran over and hugged him, happy to see him after so long. She looked over and smiled more when she saw Bandor. “Bandor!” She wasted no time in hugging him.

“Allura! I’m so happy to see you!” Bandor cheered, embracing his cousin. “How was Romelle when you saw her last?”

“Doing well. And knowing her, she’s still fine.” Allura assured.

“I wasn’t expecting to run into you guys out here.” Lotor stated. “We intercepted a message about the finding and possible capture of Princess Katie, so we were… going to… inter...” He trailed off. He noticed Haxus. In response, he pulled Allura back behind him. “What is he doing here?”

“And here we go again.” Haxus sighed.

“Lotor, settle down, Haxus… is our friend.” Allura tried to quell her friend’s anger.

“What?” Lotor was stunned. “He’s Sendak’s right hand man!”

“I know but… he has been helping us for a bit.”

Lotor wasn’t sure. He glared at Haxus. “And of Princess Katie? Where is she? There was reason to believe you were in pursuit of her...”

“She’s safe.” Haxus informed.

“It’s true. She is.” Allura confirmed. She did her best to not glance at Pidge, not wanting to spill that she was in fact a shifter. “Don’t worry. Besides, she’s a very capable young woman. She can handle herself.”

Pidge snorted and looked as proud as a wolf could. She was happy to have those compliments.

“If you’re sure...” Lotor sighed. He then looked to see Pidge. Meeting one guardian wolf was a marvel in of itself, but a second? He had no idea she was a shifter and thought she was just like Guardian. “Amazing. Another guardian wolf.” he said, his voice barely there in awe. He went over to Pidge, gently petting her. “And look at your size. You must be just a pup.” Pidge huffed a bit before nosing the man’s hand, letting him pet her more. “Where did you find this one?”

“The Wolf Forest.” Keith responded. No one needed to give looks or hints they all decided to just let the others assume Pidge was just a wolf and not in fact a princess.

“Wolf… Forest?” Lotor nearly chuckled. “Of course.” he said. He then looked to Guardian. “Is this why you suddenly ran off? You smelled this one?”

Guardian huffed a bit before nosing Pidge and rubbing against her. Pidge growled a bit, but it wasn’t aggressive. She nuzzled against the wolf before moving away, going to check on Lance. She nosed him and whimpered.

“It’s okay, Pidge, I’m fine.” Lance assured as he hugged around her neck. “Not hurt. A little sore. Maybe I have a hairball, too. I always figured I was a cat person but it turns out I’m a wolf person.” He chuckled a bit. “But don’t worry about me.” Pidge huffed a bit and nosed Lance more. He smiled brightly. “Okay, okay, you’re worried. I don’t need to understand you or be intuitive like Haxus to know that.”

“Princess,” Shiro spoke up, “I know it’s nice that we’ve met with more allies, but we should continue moving.”

Allura nodded in agreement. “You’re right.” She looked to Lotor. “Will your group be traveling with us? After we set up camp, we can exchange information and figure out another plan if needed.”

Lotor nodded in agreement. “That seems like a good idea.” he said. He looked to his generals, seeing that they were in agreement.

They traversed the land until they were nearing sunset, then they went to find a place to camp out at. As they traveled, though, Lotor and his generals were caught up on some of what happened, including Sendak pursuing them, their separation from Pidge and eventually being reunited, and again ambushed by Sendak and his group, Honerva included.

“So, my mother has left the castle.” Lotor thought it over. “It would then be possible to return there.”

“Return?” Allura asked.

“We were hoping to go to the castle and look for what we need to take the rite of magic from my father. I wouldn’t be surprised if Colleen had it there but no one knew where and how to find it.”

“That does sound like Queen Colleen.” Coran mused. “Especially with her collection of books.”

“Indeed. But… we veered away when we got word that my mother was there.” Lotor admitted. “But if she’s away and recovering from a bad injury… it is possible to return there.” He looked to their forces before back to Allura. “You know of Katie’s whereabouts, right? Then perhaps we can get her and return together.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Allura inquired. She didn’t know if she liked that idea of taking Katie to the kingdom of Gaia.

“Without my mother there, if we go with Katie, it will restore hope in the people and rebels. The rebellion and Clan of Marmora will most likely help us.” Lotor smiled, hope filling his blue eyes. “We can finally take back one of the kingdoms.” His smile was soft. “And we can save Matt, reunite him and Katie. And even free the others taken prisoner.”

Pidge perked up. She was curled up next to Lance and Guardian, Lance content in snuggling into the mounds of fur while Hunk cooked the food the wolves hunted for while the others set up camp. She was listening to the others talk, and Lotor mentioning taking back the castle and freeing prisoners caught her attention. She wasted no time in jumping up and leaping for Lotor. Mid-leap, she shifted quickly; it left her muscles and joints more sore than before, but it was worth it. She landed right on his lap. “You mean we can save the others? Mom included!?”

Lotor didn’t know what shocked him the most. Initially, a giant wolf jumping for him was startling, even if she was smaller than Guardian; she was still large and he didn’t know why she jumped for him. Then there was the fact that all of a sudden, she shifted into a human. A. Freaking. Human! He especially did not expect that. And in the end, he didn’t expect to have a naked girl sitting on his lap, watching her with familiar honey brown eyes.

“My mom was captured and taken to the castle!” Pidge exclaimed, perched over Lotor’s lap, hands gripping the front of his clothes. “You mean we can attack and take it back, saving others and her? We can get Mom back?”

Lotor couldn’t help but stare, not because he wanted to but because he was caught off guard and shocked. “That… that is nude.” he managed to say. He couldn’t even focus on how familiar her eyes were or think of who she was. All he could think of was the situation. He quickly pulled up a hand and covered his eyes. “Holy shit. That is definitely nude!”

“Pidge!” Allura called out, panic in her voice and eyes. She quickly grabbed the mage’s cloak and wrapped it around the small girl. She was quick to pick her up and carry her off. “Haxus! Clothes!”

“Right!” Haxus grabbed Pidge’s clothes from their supplies and rushed off after the princesses.

“Okay… that was a shifter, right?” Zethrid asked, just as stunned as the others, save for Narti who couldn’t see. Even much of Pidge’s team was shocked because they did not expect Pidge to do that so suddenly.

“She was a wolf a moment ago… but now...” Ezor looked to the others. “And you didn’t tell us?”

“She likes being in that form so...” Keith shrugged. “It seemed easier not saying anything at the time.” He sighed. “Though suddenly shifting… she’s going to be sore...”

“I know, I know.” Pidge returned with Haxus and Allura, dressed back in her trousers and tunic. “I’m already feeling it. And I’m regretting it.” She went over to where Guardian was and climbed up onto the wolf’s back. Lotor and his group stared in shock, not expecting that, especially since the wolf didn’t seem bothered by it. Pidge snuggled into the wolf’s fur. “Now I want sleep… but… if we can return to the castle...”

Lotor watched Pidge closely. He then thought about her eyes. They were so familiar. And seeing her there, she looked familiar, too. And it wasn’t just Lotor who thought that; Bandor felt she was familiar, too.

“Wait a minute...” Bandor noticed how familiar Pidge looked. Though grown up from the child he once knew, he realized she looked like a younger Matt. “You look like Katie...”

“Katie?” Lotor was alarmed. He then looked over to Allura. “What’s going on? She’s...”

Allura sighed. “We didn’t know how to bring it up… but Katie is indeed a shifter.” She chuckled nervously. “And like I said, very capable. And preferring to be called _Pidge_ , the name she was raised with.” She sighed. “She was raised by someone else, Keith’s mother. And she was captured, taken to Gaia’s castle...”

Lotor watched Allura for a moment. He then looked over to Pidge, seeing her snuggle down into Guardian’s fur, the wolf not even minding. It was a lot to take in for him. But most of all, he was relieved. “She’s safe, though. That’s all that matters.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pidge really knows how to shock the others, huh? At least Lotor covered his eyes when he got past the initial shock.  
> Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.  
> Until next time!


	32. Insecure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance has his insecurities that the wolves try to help him through. Even Pidge has a few doubts in her mind.

Princess Katie was safe. Yes, Allura assured Lotor of that, but seeing her with his own eyes, he could truly see she was doing well. Small. Sturdy. A mage and a shifter. She was definitely capable.

And she was sleeping on the back of Guardian.

“Guardian’s taken a quick shine to her.” Lotor said.

“Pidge is good with wolves.” Keith informed. “Back in the forest, the other wolves all took a shine, too.”

Lotor nodded, smiling softly. Even back as Princess Katie, she was a wild child who did well with animals. It was no surprise that Pidge was just the same. Being able to shapeshift into a wolf probably earned her some points, too. “So, your mother raised her?”

“She kept her safe all this time. She seemed to know something was wrong, so she raised and protected Pidge as if she were her own child.” Keith explained. “We were brought up as siblings. I guess it was easy because she didn’t have memories of her life as a princess for so long.”

Lotor felt warm at that thought. Regardless of not remembering, she still got to grow up with an older brother. And now they had a potential plan to return to Gaia and take back the kingdom. Pidge would get her adopted mother back and even meet her birth brother.

“I almost feel sorry for her.” Lotor mused with a mischievous smirk on his face.

“Huh?” Hunk looked confused. “Somehow those words and tone don’t match...”

“I’ll bite. Why?” Keith asked.

“Pidge now has two older brothers.” Lotor definitely was not dismissing Keith as a brother; he may not have been the princess’ blood, but he was still her family. “I can only imagine how protective you two will be over time.”

Keith snorted a bit. He made a valid point and he actually liked it. Of course, he had his own wit to respond with. “The only person who needs protecting is whoever gets in her way and harms her pack.” he pointed out.

Lotor laughed with the others, amused by the truthful response. He then watched Pidge longer, the shifter happily sleeping, occasionally snuggling into the fur more and more. Safe. And with her, they could hopefully rally enough forces so that they could take back one kingdom.

They headed towards Gaia’s kingdom. Going to try and take it back was the only plan they could really come up with. Lotor was sure that if they succeeded, it would help in pushing the war in the right direction.

As they walked, Lance observed Pidge and Bandor, the two talking like old friends. He supposed they were, they knew each other when they were much younger despite Pidge no remembering. He could only imagine that Bandor was telling her stories he could remember or that even he had been told. Coran was with them, easily able to remind the youngest group members of the past.

Pidge was smiling and laughing with them. Lance did his best to not feel jealous, but more than that, he couldn’t fight the heartbreak he faced.

“Maybe she’s better off with Bandor.” Lance mumbled. Kosmo, who was at his side, made a small _aroo_ noise as he looked up. “I mean, isn’t he like some sort of Lord? He’s Allura’s cousin, right?” He let out a sigh. “And as much as she doesn’t want it, Pidge is still a princess.”

Lance didn’t look down, so he missed Kosmo rolling his eyes. They had their sweet but awkward confessions to one another, they were in love. But poor Lance was still insecure.

“I mean, what do I have to offer? Archery? The fact that I know how to milk a cow? I’m not even a knight… I’m not important...”

Kosmo whined a bit as he nudged Lance’s hand. He sometimes wished that Lance could understand him, he wanted to tell him that things were fine. Pidge was in love with him and had no interest in others. He, of course, would know this; he was one of Pidge’s closest friends and knew just about everything there was to know about her.

“I guess the best thing to do is let her go if it turns out that she likes Bandor more, huh?” Lance asked. Kosmo rammed his head into the archer’s leg. “Hey, what’s that for?” The wolf huffed and pointed his nose as Pidge. “Yeah, that’s Pidge.” Lance looked a little surprised when he actually saw the wolf roll his eyes. “Um...” He yelped when he felt another shove, this one from behind and harder, nearly knocking him over. He looked back to see Guardian there.

“Pidge! The wolves are shoving me around and I don’t know why!” Lance practically whined. He didn’t find it entirely amusing, but the others seemed to.

“Hmm?” Pidge looked back. Kosmo huffed and pointed his nose at Lance. She chuckled in response. “I can’t really understand them in this form, but I think they’re trying to assure you of whatever you’re worrying about.” she said. “They’re trying to lift your spirits probably, but you can’t understand them.”

“Huh?” Lance stared a bit. “Oh… um...”

Pidge chuckled. “I’m sure whatever is on your mind and worrying you, it’ll all turn out well.” she assured him.

“Yeah.” Lance nodded, warmth coming to his cheeks. When the others looked away from him, he looked down at Kosmo. “So what? You’re telling me she’ll still continue to like me?” The wolf nodded. “I hope that’s the case. I really like her. She’s really wonderful. She’s brilliant, she’s fun, and she’s actually nice. Sure, she has an odd way of going about things but...to me? Pidge is perfect. Quirks and all.” He chuckled when Guardian put his head over his shoulder and licked his face. “Okay, okay, so you’re both encouraging me. Got it.”

Ahead of Lance and where the archer couldn’t hear, Pidge was talking with Bandor and Coran. Their subjects moved from the past and when the two were much younger children to magic and finally to Lance. Bandor was happy for Pidge, finding out that she had fallen in love with someone as nice as Lance.

“And he doesn’t mind the shifting?” Bandor asked.

“I mean, it catches him by surprise since… some human things are still weird to me… and he doesn’t mind when I accidentally tackle him to the ground in wolf form.” Pidge blushed a bit. “But yeah… he doesn’t mind. He likes me for me.” She smiled softly, thinking of all the little ways Lance showed he liked her. “He could have any regular girl, someone like Allura or some other magic user or warrior, or a nice girl who can bake… but of all the people… he chose me.”

“Sounds like true love to me.” Bandor mused. “Right, Coran?”

“It truly is pure and sweet.” Coran nodded. “And you don’t even seem to be worried about being a princess either when it comes to your relationship with Lance.”

“Not like I plan on living like a princess.” Pidge responded. “Even if I did, screw any possible rules that say I have to be mates with someone of noble class. I choose my mate on my own terms and if anyone has a problem, they can talk to the claws.” She didn’t mean to snarl, but it was amusing and even cute to Bandor and Coran. She truly did hold her ground.

“Well, while Daibazaal has been more disciplined and traditional, even Altea following some tradition, Gaia was notorious for doing things on their own terms.” Coran reminded. “In fact, Sam, Gaia’s king, wasn’t even part of a high class family. He worked in a library when he moved to the kingdom and met Colleen, who was the kingdom’s heir. She fell in love with him and proposed to him. Poor lad, really. They were courting each other for years before she proposed. And he just passed out from shock. Alfor wouldn’t let him live that one down.”

“She sounds like a strong willed woman… the queen.” Pidge fidgeted a bit. “My um… mother.”

Coran smiled softly. “She was.” he informed. “But from what I can tell, so is the mother who raised you. Both are very strong willed and it shows in you, my dear.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “I know it’s a lot to take in, finding out you’re royalty and you had another family, but...” He smiled. “It’s like a pack. It changes and grows. In a way, it means you had two mothers. Possibly still do.” He twitched his mustache a bit. “I’m certain Krolia is fine and there’s been no actual evidence of Colleen’s death. She could still be alive.”

Pidge looked up at Coran. Colleen? Alive? She didn’t know how she felt, but she did know that if she was, then perhaps they could meet and talk.

“I’m certain Colleen would be proud of your mother’s work in raising you. She did a grand job raising a strong and independent child.” Coran continued. “Even I’m proud to see what you’ve become over time.” He smiled. “And I’m proud that you’ve found love in someone who loves you in return.”

Pidge blushed a bit and did her best to keep her tail and ears concealed. “Yeah.” she nodded. “I’m glad I did, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's simple and sweet. And it was nice showing Lance as insecure, thinking he didn't have much to offer Pidge. But! He still loves her!   
> Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!  
> Until next time!


End file.
